Should I See a Chiropractor for Sciatica?

Treat sciatica as soon as possible to prevent the progression of symptoms. Otherwise, it can render you immobile because of the pain. Also, as the condition advances, it takes longer to treat. Before opting for invasive methods, you can try chiropractic care.

What Is Chiropractic Care?

It is a form of medicine that seeks to diagnose, treat, and prevent musculoskeletal conditions that uses specific hands-on manipulations to align the spine. It provides relief and healing for these conditions, allowing you to return to your daily activities.

Your spinal nerves also innervate your organs; therefore, chiropractic care can improve organ function as well as correct structural problems.  Chiropractors also teach patients helpful stretches and exercises they can incorporate into their daily lives to prevent the recurrence of their musculoskeletal conditions.  Patients are also taught specific stretches and exercises they can incorporate these into their daily lives to prevent the recurrence of the musculoskeletal conditions.

Can It Help Sciatica?

Studies show that sciatica affects up to 40 percent of people. Mild cases can resolve themselves. But most of the time, you may need lifestyle adjustments in addition to nonsurgical therapies. Chiropractic care provides pain relief and realigns your musculoskeletal structure, relieving the pressure on the sciatic nerve. Pressure on the sciatic nerve may result from a bulging or herniated disc. It can also occur when the spine narrows or a bone spur presses on the nerve. Thus,realignment is crucial.

How Does It Work?

Sciatic pain can feel like an electric shock running down your leg to your foot. After chiropractic treatment, you will not feel this pain. Your leg and foot will regain strength, and you can return to your daily activities.

How does it do this? The chiropractor will start by taking your medical history. They will do this to develop an individualized plan to treat your sciatica. Some of the treatments it may include are:

Lumbar Spinal Decompression

Spinal Decompression relieves the pressure on the nerves that may be the cause of your back and leg pain.  It gently increases the space between the vertebral bodies, helping to increase blood flow to the lumbar discs.  This process also strengthens the ligament bands, so they can hold the disc back in place again and make healing more permanent.

Most patients find the treatment to be painless and relaxing.  Studies have shown that improvements gained from spinal decompression have remained in 89% of the patients 90 days after treatment.

Flexion Distraction

Working with a patient on the Cox Flexion Distraction Table helps increases range of motion, decrease muscle spasms of the low back and buttocks area, and restores function.  This table actively decompresses the lumbar disc while flexing.  The doctor presses on the involved areas to decrease muscle spasms and tenderness.  The flexion action of the table helps to pump blood flow back into the lumbar spinal disc to increase the nutrients necessary for healing.

Range of Motion Therapy

Range of motion therapy is doctor-assisted stretching that restores the muscle range of motion.  Doing so for the muscles of the pelvic and lumbar spinal area helps to release spasms and stiffness and allow patients to walk more easily.

Pulstar Instrument Adjusting

The Pulstar Computerized System delivers controlled gentle pulses through the Pulstar Instrument, decreasing the pain of arthritis and gently repositioning vertebrae.  Arthritis deposits calcium in tissues and these can develop into bone spurs.  The Pulstar instruments works to disperse these calcium deposits, allowing for better range of motion.

The Pulstar manipulates the vertebra into its proper position with multiple minute pulses instead of using a single forceful thrust.

Interferential Electrical Muscle Stimulation

Interferential Electrical Muscle Stimulation reduces muscle spasms and inflammation to help the low back, hips and legs function better without pain.  Unlike a TENS unit, the effects of a 10-15 minute session of this therapy continue long after the therapy has concluded.

Dr. Hunter Greenwood DC ND has over 38 years experiencing helping patients recover from sciatica.  If you, or someone you care about, is suffering from sciatica, come to Chiropractor Plus at our Nixa, Missouri office or call us at 417-725-6655 to schedule an appointment. Isn’t it time YOU felt good again?