Sciatica Treatment in Lakeville
Sciatica refers to pain that starts in the low back and extends down one or both legs. It usually gets worse with periods of sitting or standing. This radiating pain often affects pregnant women, those with diabetes, and people who are obese.
Typical Symptoms
- Hip pain
- A tingling or burning feeling down the leg
- Weakness, numbness, or a difficult time moving the leg or foot
- Continual pain that affects one side of the buttocks
- A shooting pain that makes it uncomfortable to stand up
“We have patients talking about sciatica (the back of the leg), or some anterior leg quad pain, which is a different distribution. With sciatica pain, glute pain or hamstring pain down the back of your leg, the L4-L5 and S-1 is affected. Whereas if you feel hip pain like peripheral or skin hip pain or quad anterior front leg pain, that’s more L2 L3-L4,” said Dr. Jake.
He adds that it’s not so much central stenosis or entrapment or compression on the spinal column or even the peripheral nerves (those that come out of your spine). It’s more so the lack of function and the muscular response of postural things. Muscles that are too tight are then entrapping the nerves outside the spine.
Our Providers will conduct a thorough examination, which may include X-rays, to determine the underlying cause of your symptoms. Then they’ll create a customized care plan to address your nerve pain.
Your care typically includes chiropractic adjustments, which can help relieve pain. We’ll let you know if we think you can benefit from our care. If we think another healthcare practitioner can better address your pain, we’ll let you know that too.
- Use heat and ice: Although hot and cold are opposites, both can provide comforting relief from your symptoms. Cold treatment is usually advisable for an injury that just occurred. After approximately 72 hours, you can switch to heat. When using an ice pack, wrap it in a towel, and when using a heating pad, only use it for about 15-20 minutes at a time, and take care not to burn your skin.
- Stand up: As sitting can aggravate your discomfort if you have radiating pain, try to stand more throughout the day. An adjustable standing desk is ideal, as you can alternate between sitting and standing throughout your workday.
- Keep moving: If your pain isn’t too intense, aim to move more, such as stretching, taking short walks or engaging in other physical activities.
How do you get this type of radiating pain?
The nerve pain is often the result of cumulative damage. Years of poor posture and being overweight can contribute to the nerve pain. Something can trigger an episode as simple as bending over to tie your shoes. Spinal deterioration is another culprit.
Chiropractic doesn’t cure anything! Only your body can do that. Chiropractic is to help your spine work as it should, reducing nerve irritation and restoring your body’s healing ability.
Usually, we are able to help those patients respond well, remove all their symptoms, and restore all their function without any medical intervention. A 2-3 month period of care is typical, although this varies from person to person.
Book an Appointment
If you’re wondering if chiropractic care can help address your sciatica, contact Family Chiropractic and Wellness today to schedule an appointment!
