Bottom Line:
Let’s dive right into what you need to know about sciatica. To understand what sciatica is, it helps to think of sciatica more as a set of symptoms than a condition. When you hear someone say they “have sciatica,” what they have is pain, numbness, or tingling that starts in their low back or buttocks and extends through the lower extremity on one side of their body.

Sciatica can be excruciatingly painful, and it can also become chronic.

That’s why it’s a smart idea to seek out a chiropractor specializing in sciatica treatment in Lavaca County.

Here’s what you need to know about sciatica and how it develops. If a nerve in your low back is compressed or “pinched”, your body will quickly let you know about it with a jolt of pain.

The sciatic nerves are the longest nerves in the body. Several individual branches or nerve roots in your lower back combine to form the sciatic nerves which travel down into each of your legs.

Although you have two sciatic nerves (one on each side of your body), sciatica symptoms typically only occur on one side of the body at a time. If you have radiating pain down both of your legs, it is less likely that the pain is caused by a pinched sciatic nerve.

Some of the common symptoms people experience when one of the sciatic nerves is pinched or irritated include:

• Increased leg pain when sitting.
• Weakness in the leg or foot.
• Sharp pain that makes it difficult to walk.

Pain is your body’s way of saying “pay attention inside now!” Each of the above symptoms is a warning sign from your body. It’s your body’s way of letting you know you’ve pushed past its limits. The good news is that with proper care and a little time, you can get your life back!

Why it Matters:
Did you know that sciatica often resolves without you having to resort to risky medications or a dangerous surgery? Even if the pain seemingly reduces on its own, what you really need to know about sciatica is that the pain will likely return if the underlying issue is not addressed.

In fact, we’ve heard many of our sciatica patients describe their symptoms as sciatica attacks for this very reason – they generally come back if not properly addressed!

Chiropractic is a safe, effective, natural, and popular treatment for sciatica pain. The numbers don’t lie. In one widely circulated study, researchers observed that 89% of patients suffering from symptomatic sciatica responded very well to chiropractic adjustments. As the leading chiropractor specializing in sciatica treatment in Lavaca County, we’ve seen it time and time again right here in our practice.

Movement-based strategies such as spinal adjustments, controlled exercise, and dynamic stretching are a few of the most effective ways to relieve low back issues. Chiropractic care currently ranks at the top of many leading healthcare organizations’ recommendations to relieve sciatica and low back pain.

Medications, injections and surgeries are no longer considered first-line treatments because of their inherent risks and, ultimately, limited effectiveness. Not only are movement-based strategies effective at providing relief, but research also indicates these may be able to offer a preventative effect when continued over time.

If you’ve thought about receiving therapy that doesn’t include spinal manipulation, here’s something else to consider… A recent study found that when spinal adjustments were included with a regular exercise routine 20% more study participants experienced relief from sciatica pain compared to when spinal adjustments were not included.

Next Steps:
Sciatica pain has the potential to severely reduce your quality of life, but rest assured that you don’t need to immediately resort to medications, injections, or surgery to correct the problem. Top research publications have shown that risky prescription pain medications are hardly ever more effective than a spinal adjustment.

The best way to treat sciatica is with the care offered in our practice. Spinal adjustments, stretching, and exercise have all been shown to be extremely effective at reducing sciatica pain by reducing the pinching (or compression) on your spinal nerves.

Starting with chiropractic care is the smartest decision you can make. If you or someone you know is struggling with sciatica pain, schedule an appointment with a chiropractor specializing in sciatica treatment today.

Our doors are open, and we are here to help!

Science Source:
(1) Outcomes of Acute and Chronic Patients With Magnetic Resonance Imaging–Confirmed Symptomatic Lumbar Disc Herniations Receiving High-Velocity, Low-Amplitude, Spinal Manipulative Therapy: A Prospective Observational Cohort Study With One-Year Follow-Up. JMPT. 2014.