Sciatica Treatment: Here Is What You Should Know
What is Sciatica?
If you’re suffering from Sciatica, you’d know just how painful it is. Sciatica may be described as an intense leg pain caused by a pinched nerve in the lower back.
The pain starts in the nerve roots located on the either side of the lower spine, but it quickly runs through the sciatic nerve, which extends from the buttock down to the foot on each leg.
This results in a severe pain in the legs, which is even more severe than back pain. At times, the pain can be unbearable, similar in intensity to the nerve pain that you might have experienced when suffering from a toothache.
Why Does Sciatica Happen?
Sciatica generally occurs because of a herniated disk, when the disk develops a crack or a tear and expands into the spinal canal, pinching the sciatic nerve that runs through it.
Generally it takes about 6 weeks for the pain to last, but in some cases it can take much longer, especially if the patient has not been provided with the right kind of treatment.
Here’s a Look at Most Common Sciatica Solutions
Pain Relievers and Muscle Relaxants
Your doctor may prescribe non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as Rx, tricyclic antidepressants or muscle relaxants to relieve some of the pain from Sciatica. While these drugs can offer pain relief to an extent, they cannot heal the condition completely. You will need a more holistic treatment for that, such as chiropractic care.
Chiropractic Care
Chiropractic Care is considered by many to be the best treatment for Sciatica, and is recommended to patients who may have tried other therapies without getting much relief from them. Chiropractic treatment involves spinal adjustments or manipulations, which creates a strong response in the nervous system. This helps relieve the pain, reduces inflammation and restores normal mobility in the legs.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese technique which involves inserting warm needles in specific pressure points in the body. It is a very good treatment for Sciatica, and offers instant pain relief. It takes about 12 to 15 sessions of acupuncture before normal mobility is restored.
Physical Therapy
It is very important for the patient suffering from Sciatica to move their body as much as possible, within tolerable limits. Lying in bed all day only makes the paid worse. Physical exercise improves the blood flow to the affected disk and the sciatic nerve. If you’re suffering from Sciatica, you should make it a point to take 10 to 15-minute walks whenever you can. You should also visit a physical therapist, who will put you through various stretching exercises that can help relieve the pain to a great extent.
Surgery
Surgery is often the last resort when the patient still experiences pain even after 4 to 6 weeks of undergoing treatment for the Sciatica. A successful surgery can help decrease the pain and disability from this condition and the benefits could last for up to 4 years.
Are You Suffering From an Intense Pain in the Legs Because of Sciatica?
At the Chicago-based American Back Center, we use a combination of different Sciatica Solutions such as chiropractic care, physical therapy and acupuncture to provide instant pain relief and heal the condition permanently using a holistic approach.
Call 312-939-4121 or click here to book an appointment with Dr. Chris Edginton DC, the leading chiropractor in Chicago and his team of trained specialists.