Monday, July 20, 2009

Does Chiropractic Help Sciatica?

By Philip Vincent

Pain can interfere with every aspect of life causing limitations to ones daily activities and a potentially negative outlook on the future. Because of this common issue, it is very important to determine the cause of pain and choose the best method of correction. Pressure on the sciatic nerve can be one of the most common causes of low back, leg and foot pain.

Chiropractic and sciatica tend to go hand in hand for anyone looking for the first line of defense. Chiropractors are trained to diagnosis and evaluate sciatica, as well as determine the cause and develop a plan of treatment. The chiropractic approach to treatment of discomfort is based on the fact that spinal misalignments cause pain and a decrease in function. By eliminating the restrictions, the body can then heal itself as it was designed to do.

The sciatic nerve is the longest and the largest nerve in the body and is also connected to the complex nervous system that relays messages (both positive and those dealing with pain) to the brain. The sciatic nerve path begins in the low back and extends through the buttocks, behind the knees and then smaller branches lead into the into the feet.

Sciatic pain is demonstrated in various ways, including; traveling or shooting pain starting in the lower back through the buttocks, behind the knee and down to the foot. Or it can also be felt as numbness, tingling and/or a "burning sensation" to this area. It may also present as numbness or weakness from the lower back to the foot or just a distinct portion of this area. By combining chiropractic and sciatica, it's possible that you can reduce the severity of the symptoms and underlying cause of the pain.

A chiropractic and sciatica approach will first be concerned with determining the cause of ones pain. A chiropractor is able to do this by obtaining a complete medical history and then performing a physical and neurological exam. These steps will help dictate the direction needed to be taken to complete the exam. Tests may include X-rays, MRI and CT scans to further determine the root of the problem and confirm that chiropractic care is indeed the best approach to relieving the pain and discomfort. If for any reason the chiropractor feels that the treatment is beyond his scope of practice, they will then refer the patient to a specialist.

Once the cause of the sciatic pain has been determined, the chiropractor will then develop a plan of care. There are a number of ways that can be used to treat sciatica depending on the underlying cause. The treatment in the combination of chiropractic and sciatica maybe as simple as applying ice/ cold packs to the affected area, this will help decrease any inflammation and in turn decrease the pain felt. Spinal manipulation may also be required to help realign the spine. In this way, the pain and discomfort are then relieved.

In addition, the use of ultrasound or transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) maybe indicated. Ultrasound penetrates deep tissue using sound waves and heat, thus increasing blood circulation and decreasing pain and discomfort, while TENS machines transmit electrical current through electrodes placed on the skin that, among other things, encourage the body to produce endorphins, assisting in the relief of pain. - 14130

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