Struggling With Sciatica?

our chiropractic clinic helps sciatica pain

If you are experiencing pain that radiates from the back or buttocks all the way down the legs, you may have a common condition called sciatica. Many people look for a El Cerrito chiropractor so they don't have to suffer with the pain of sciatica, and many never achieve a long term solution. An untreated sciatic condition can continue to worsen and make the daily tasks of living go from difficult to impossible. This article is aimed at helping you to understand sciatica and explains how chiropractic treatment can help you to overcome it.


What Is Sciatica?

Sciatica is neither a disease nor a medical condition, but a group of symptoms that result from something else. The classic sign of sciatica is pain radiating down the back of the leg, which follows the path of the sciatic nerve and gives the condition its name. Patients with sciatica may also report tingling and numbness in the same area or have weakness in the affected leg. Sciatica can't be cured, so chiropractic treatment is focused on sciatica management.


Are There Risk Factors?

Increasing age is definitely a factor in sciatica, as it is more likely to develop over time. Most patients with sciatica are over the age of 40. However, an acute injury can also lead to the condition. People who work in jobs that require heavy lifting or who don't use good body mechanics are more prone to degenerative problems and sciatica. Sitting for long periods also stresses the spine and can contribute to sciatica.


How Is Sciatica Managed?

Sciatica must be managed; it cannot be cured, and even surgery doesn't always relieve symptoms. Chiropractic adjustments can help keep the spine in alignment. Chiropractors can also help patients learn how to use their bodies correctly and maintain correct posture while lifting. A chiropractor can teach the patient exercises to strengthen the spine and make it more flexible, which reduces the risk of injury and can decrease muscle spasms. Massage and acupuncture may also be part of sciatica management.


Sciatica in El Cerrito

Sciatica, which is also known as sciatic neuralgia, is a condition that causes pain in the lower back, down the back of the leg, and into the foot. It can make sitting and standing for long periods of time difficult and can lead to weakness, tingling, and numbness in the leg and foot. It will often come and go throughout a person's lifetime, causing periods of varying degrees of pain and discomfort. If left unchecked, sciatic pain will generally grow worse and the nerve can become permanently injured.

The reason why the pain travels so far, seems to radiate up and down the legs and back, is because it is caused by the compression of the sciatic nerve, the longest nerve in the body. This nerve originates in the lumbar spine and extends into the buttocks before traveling down the leg to the ankle and foot. When the vertebrae in the low back are compressed, the roots of the sciatic nerve can become pinched and irritated which is what causes the pain and injury.


How Do You Develop Sciatica?

Sciatica can have a number of different causes, including a herniated lumbar disc, degenerative disc disease, spondylolisthesis or spinal stenosis. The bones (vertebrae of the back) are separated by cushions of cartilage called discs. These can rupture and push on the spinal cord, causing sciatic irritation and pain. Aging and degeneration of the spine can cause the same symptoms. Spondylolisthesis is the medical term for a slight dislocation in the spinal joints while the narrowing of the spinal canal is called spinal stenosis.

There are a number of factors that can lead to sciatica. It is most commonly caused by disc injuries and bulges. In this occurrence, the disc presses against the nerve root causing the issue. Disc Injuries can occur because of poor posture, repetitive use injuries, and accidents. Sciatica is also common when there are subluxations (misalignments) in the spine due to postural issues, pregnancy, or trauma. Some patients say they simply bent over to pick up a piece of paper and they were hit with extreme pain. The reality is that the spinal condition was probably developing for quite some time before the triggering incident occurred.


Chiropractic Treatment for Sciatica

Chiropractors in El Cerrito are highly trained to zero in on the source of the sciatica and to work with the patient in determining the most suitable approach to treatment. After a thorough assessment of the individual's unique issue, gentle adjustments are made that will allow the body to recover its natural alignment.

Some people respond very quickly while others take more time to recover. It really depends on the condition of the disc or the joints that the chiropractor has to correct. In most cases, the longer the issue persists, the longer it will take to achieve correction. The great news is that it typically takes less time to fix an issue like this than it took to create it. Once the position of the spine and discs are improved, patients often report improvements to their overall health. If you are experiencing symptoms of sciatica call our team at Smith Chiropractic today.
This is an article by a chiropractor near me in El Cerrito.

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Wednesday
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Smith Chiropractic
6431 Fairmount Avenue #7
El Cerrito, CA 94530
(510) 528-0378