Sciatica Treatment and Recovery
Sciatica is different from common back pain. With this condition, you might feel pain or uncomfortable nerve sensations that run from your lower back and down one leg, reaching into your calf or foot. Nerve sensations can include numbness, tingling, burning, and muscle weakness. The source of sciatica is nerve compression affecting the sciatic nerve. The key to effective sciatica treatment is to start with an examination. If you are dealing with sciatica, our team at Westmoreland Chiropractic & Rehab Associates can help you find relief.
What Is Sciatica
The sciatic nerve is two of the five major nerves in the body. The nerves branch out from the lumbar portion of the spine, pass through the hips and extend down to the feet. When the vertebrae in the lumbar spine get out of alignment, one or more branches of the nerve are compressed and cause irritation and inflammation. Chiropractic adjustments work to properly align the spine by removing compression from the sciatic nerve. In some cases, sciatica is caused by a herniated or slipped disk or narrowing of the spine. Typically, sciatica symptoms will only impact one side of the body.
Sciatica Symptoms
A common symptom of sciatica is pain in the sciatic nerve that runs down the lower back, hips, and buttocks. This can cause pain in the legs and feet too. The intensity of the pain varies with the patient. Numbness in the leg is another symptom that you may feel. This is caused by bone spurs and discs pressing on the sciatica nerve. Another symptom is tingling in the feet. This is similar to when your arm or leg falls asleep.
Swelling, weak muscles, and inflammation are also common symptoms of sciatica. If you are experiencing difficultly traversing staircases or walking, this may be due to sciatica. Other symptoms are lower back pain, problems with moving the legs, pain standing up or sitting down, a burning sensation, and discomfort on one side of the buttocks.
How We Can Help
Our chiropractors can help by using gentle manipulation to put your spine back into alignment and taking pressure off the nerve. Combining massage therapy with chiropractic treatment is another effective method of getting relief from sciatica. The chiropractic manipulation puts the vertebrae back into place while massage therapy helps the muscles relax making it easier for you to regain your ability to move freely. We take referrals from primary care physicians and design customized treatment programs for each patient.
Contact Our Team for Help in Export and Greensburg
Our team at Westmoreland Chiropractic & Rehab Associates in Greensburg and Export is ready to help you manage your sciatica. Offering a combination of chiropractic adjustments and massage therapy, our clinics will create a customized plan that works best for you. Give us a call or contact us online to schedule your first appointment. Our professionals are ready to help you find the relief you need from sciatica.
