What is Sciatica?

Sciatica is an unfortunately common symptom that occurs most often among people ages 30 to 50 years old. The symptom does not occur due to an injury, but most often as a result of wear and tear on your spinal bones. A slipped disc is the most common sciatica cause. However, spinal stenosis (narrowing of the spinal canal), piriformis syndrome (muscle spasms that put pressure on the nerve) or spondylolisthesis (slipping of one of your spinal discs over the other) can also cause sciatica.

Sciatica Symptoms

Symptoms you may experience include a tingling, painful, aching or burning sensation down one side of your body, typically from your lower back to your foot. The sensation may be nagging or slightly bothersome at first, but often worsens over time. You may also experience muscle weakness or numbness in your foot. However, you may have severe pain when walking due to your sciatica. Also, the pain may be aggravated when you bend at the waist, and be relieved by lying down.

We diagnose sciatica in our Union office by taking your medical history, performing a physical exam and possibly using imaging, such as an X-ray to determine if there are any abnormalities present.

Sciatica is a symptom itself of an underlying condition. Our chiropractic treatments involve correcting misalignment to reduce sciatica pain. In addition to these adjustments, we can recommend physical therapy exercises, apply heat or cold therapies and recommend additional interventions, such as a transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) unit to reduce nerve-related pains. An estimated 80 to 90 percent of patients with sciatica improve their symptoms without the need for invasive interventions.

Call Chiropractic Care Center Today!

For more information on sciatica treatments at the Chiropractic Care Center in Union and how you can find relief, please call (859) 647-7730.