Sciatica Treatment with
Chiropractic Care

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See a chiropractor for your sciatica pain

Back pain is the third most common reason people visit their health care provider (Source). Pain originating in your back and continuing through your legs, also known as sciatica, is experienced by 40% of people in the U.S. at some point in their lifetime.

Sciatica treatment from a chiropractor provides pain relief for:
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Muscle Weakness

Felt in the leg and foot
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Numbness

Felt in the leg
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Pins-and-Needles

Felt in the lower back, hips, or leg

What is sciatica?

If you are experiencing mild to severe pain anywhere from your lower back, hips, buttocks, and/or down your legs, you may be suffering from sciatica. This pain is caused by irritation, inflammation, pinching, or compression of a nerve in the lower part of your spine – usually from a slipped or herniated disk.

One sciatic nerve runs on each side of your body from your lower back through each leg, ending just below the knee. It is the longest and thickest nerve in your body, and it branches into smaller nerves throughout your leg.

Actual injury to the sciatic nerve is uncommon, so the term sciatica is used broadly to describe any pain originating in the lower back and radiating down the leg. You usually only experience sciatic pain on one side of the body.
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Symptoms of sciatica
and leg pain

Each person may experience sciatica pain of different severity and in different locations. Some may have infrequent pain. It usually appears as leg pain that worsens if you stand or sit for long periods of time.

Common descriptions of sciatica pain:
 
  • Muscle weakness or numbness of the leg or foot
  • Pins-and-needles tingling in your leg, foot, and toes
  • Increased pain in the leg or bottom when sitting
  • Constant pain in one buttock
  • Shooting pain that makes it difficult to stand

Everyone describes their pain in different ways – sharp, burning, stabbing, shooting, electric, or jolting.

Pain management without
side effects of medication

What will a chiropractor do for sciatica treatment? Chiropractors utilize a variety of methods to reduce your pain and treat your sciatica. Chiropractic treatment is a natural, drug-free approach to pain management and overall health.

Some methods most used by chiropractors for sciatica treatment:
 
  • Spinal adjustment – corrects alignment and nerve compression
  • Ultrasound therapy – sound waves penetrate soft tissue to increase circulation and reduce muscle spasms, cramping, swelling, stiffness, and pain
  • Ice/cold therapy – reduces inflammation
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Should I see a doctor or chiropractor for sciatica?

You should choose a healthcare professional that you feel comfortable with. A chiropractor is a great starting point for any of your body pains because they are trained in the workings of the musculoskeletal and nervous system. You do not need a referral to see a chiropractor.

A chiropractor will evaluate your pain symptoms and determine the cause. From there, they can offer treatment or give medical advice as to if the concern should be taken up with a specialist.
 
  • Get a chiropractic adjustment covered by insurance
  • Get imaging like an MRI or x-ray
  • Receive referrals to a physical therapist, if needed
  • Advice to visit your general physician for a prescription, if needed
  • Integrated treatment approach from your chiropractor and other doctors

If you are ready to get pain relief but not sure what your first move should be, you can schedule a consultation with our doctor of chiropractic. We can help you understand your source of pain and work individually or collaboratively on a treatment plan.
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How many treatments for sciatica with a chiropractor are needed?

A chiropractic adjustment aligns the spine and takes the pressure off of the affected nerve immediately. This quickly reduces your pain symptoms.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, many sciatica cases can be resolved in four visits or less (Source). Chiropractors normally teach patients stretches and exercises they can complete at home to prevent the symptoms from returning.
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What causes
sciatica leg pain?

This leg pain is caused by nerve compression or irritation in the lower spine, usually from a slipped or herniated disk.

Other causes for sciatica include:

• Degenerative disk disease
• Pregnancy, which can add a severe strain on the spine
• Spinal stenosis or narrowing of the spinal canal in the lower back
• Spondylolisthesis when one vertebra slips forward over another one
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Is physical therapy or
a chiropractor
good for sciatica?

Both physical therapy and chiropractic are good options for reducing your pain from sciatica. Chiropractic treatment offers the same type of stretching and exercise instructions to gently work muscles as you’d receive from a physical therapist.

Spinal adjustment is what sets chiropractors apart from other forms of sciatica treatment. Because sciatic pain comes from a pinched nerve in your spine, receiving a chiropractic adjustment is a great way to realign the spine and encourage optimal nerve function.

We recommend seeing a chiropractor for sciatica as your first step towards pain relief because you do not need a referral from another doctor to visit us. You save time by choosing a doctor of chiropractic that offers diagnosis and treatment in one place.

Relieve your sciatica pain
by seeing a chiropractor

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