Chiropractic and Sciatica

Have you ever felt a sharp pain that almost felt like an electric shock running up and down your leg? Moving that leg caused the pain to intensify, right? Certain areas of the leg hurt worse than others, and did you use the words “numb” and/or “tingling” to describe the experience? If so, you had (or have) sciatica. It could be the result of a ruptured or herniated intervertebral disc, the narrowing of your bony spinal canal, degenerative arthritis of the spine, or, perhaps, an infection or even a tumor. Whatever is causing the pain, it hurts so bad that you don’t know what to do with yourself.

Your sciatic nerve happens to be the biggest, longest nerve in your body. It runs from your lower back to your toes, and when the nerve is irritated, you’ll feel debilitating pain in places like your legs, buttocks, back and/or feet. Besides pain, you might feel numbness or a burning sensation. Sciatica is not pleasant. It can prevent you from doing normal, everyday tasks.

Generally, sciatica tends to affect people between the ages of 30 and 50. Women who are pregnant may experience sciatica because the baby in the womb is putting pressure on the sciatic nerve. It’s most common in the second and third trimesters.

Thankfully, chiropractic care helps many people deal with their sciatica. Using hand manipulation on the lower back, a chiropractor is able to relieve pressure on your nerve and adjust bones that are not in their proper position. If, for instance, you have what’s known as a “bulging disc,” the chiropractor manipulates it in order to relieve nerve pain.

It’s not unusual for athletes to experience sciatica, especially because they use their bodies in a rigorous way, adding stress to their joints and muscles more often than people who are mostly sedentary. A chiropractor’s job is to smooth muscles out and/or adjust joints, relieving the pinched nerve.

Rather than resorting to medication for your sciatic pain, consider a visit to Lakewoods Chiropractic. Dr. Gerard can help provide natural relief for your sciatica. Please call 651-464-0800 to make an appointment.