Sciatica Treatment In Eau Claire WI
Shooting pains from sciatica can stop you in your tracks, interrupting your life and work. While some groups are more at risk, anyone can develop sciatica, and anyone who is experiencing it can get pain relief with chiropractic care from Dr. Flood and Dr. Kelbel. The sciatic nerve is the largest nerve in the body, running from the lower back down each leg. The pain and numbness that we call sciatica, is a sign that the sciatic nerve is being compressed.
Most patients who get spinal manipulations recover from their sciatica pain as effectively as if they had surgery but without the high levels of risk involved in surgical correction. Even a successful surgery causes scar tissue at the least and sometimes hardware that can decrease space for the spinal nerves, leaving the nerves increasingly prone to being compressed in the future. If you do get surgery or use medication, chiropractic treatment is still important for building stability and proper alignment in the lumbar area as you heal in order to ensure long-term recovery.
Symptoms of Sciatica
The symptoms of sciatica can present in a variety of ways, although the most common symptom is shooting pain down one leg. While sciatica is usually limited to one side of the body, it can happen in both as well. All the following symptoms in the lower spine, legs, and feet can be indicative of sciatica:
- Shooting or jolting pain
- Numbness or tingling
- Burning sensation
- Muscle weakness
- Radiating pain
- Pain that’s worse in certain positions like sitting or bending
- An increase in pain when coughing or sneezing
Causes of Sciatica Pain
As we age the spinal discs that rest between our vertebrae and cushion our nerves get thinner, pinching the sciatic nerve between the vertebrae. This can also happen from an injury like a herniated disc, slipped discs, piriformis, or spinal stenosis. Other causes include inflammation of the muscles around the nerve, muscle spasms around the nerve, nerve damage, tumors, cysts, or the added weight of pregnancy.
There are many lifestyle factors that can put you at risk of developing sciatica but there are also many preventative measures you can take. When you come in for your visit with Dr. Flood or Dr. Kelbel, they can help you to make lifestyle changes to reduce your chances of experiencing sciatica again.
How Chiropractic Helps With Sciatica Pain
Dr. Flood & Dr. Kelbel take a holistic approach to help you recover from your sciatica pain, helping to ensure that your recovery is long-term and you have no recurrence of pain. At Clearwater Chiropractic your first visit will always involve in depth testing to determine the cause of your pain so that the most effective treatment methods can be used. Dr. Flood & Dr. Kelbel will utilize a number of tests, including our on-site X-ray equipment. The chiropractic adjustment makes sure that the spine is properly aligned so that the soft tissue around it can heal properly.
Gentle exercises in between adjustments can rebuild muscle around the spine more quickly and stabilize the lumbar region. Stretching and making the right diet changes can also reduce swelling, increase blood flow, and speed up the healing process. Call Clearwater Chiropractic today so that you can get relief from your sciatica pain and return to your normal activities.