San Francisco Chiropractor Comments:
The primary cause of sciatica (pain down the leg) is a herniated lumbar disc or a bulging lumbar disc (pinching a nerve) . There are other causes such as piriformis syndrome . The piriformis is a muscle in the buttocks that the sciatic nerve passes through which can become inflammed (often in people that sit a lot) and irritate the sciatic nerve.
The sciatic nerve is the largest nerve in the body. It is as large as the diameter of a quarter in some people. Lumbar nerve roots come together after they exit the lumbar spine and form the sciatic nerve which travels down the leg to the feet.
All it takes is a little bit of pressure on the sciatic nerve to irritate it and cause pain down the leg. Under normal circumstances (when the spine is in alignment and the discs are healthy) there is plenty of room for the nerves to exit the spine.
However, when the spine is out of alignment it can cause abnormal wear and tear on the lumbar discs, and cause them to bulge, herniate, and degenerate. A degenerated disc will weaken over time, leading to degenerative disc disease, bulging discs, and disc herniations...and eventually pinched nerves and sciatica.
Maintaining proper spinal alignment can help avoid sciatica.
Once someone experiences the symptoms of sciatica, chances are there has been a problem in the lumbar spine manifesting for many years. Sciatica is much more common in people that are overweight or obese. Excess bodyweight will make it more difficult to treat sciatica also. Weight loss should be a component of the treatment plan...preferably with a diet rich in plant foods which will help reduce inflammation.
Chiropractic Treatment Options For Sciatica: Chiropractic adjustments, spinal exercises (or a controlled Yoga program ), Active Release Technique (ART), and therapeutic pain laser are some of the treatments that could and should be introduced as soon as possible. If the above treatment fail to deliver results, nonsurgical spinal decompression should be considered . Proper sleep and work postures should also be addressed.
Some patients will have already seen a medical doctor for pain control. If the pain is not bearable your chiropractor will refer you for a medical opinion. It is very common these days for chiropractors and medical doctors to work together to co-manage care for chronic back pain patients.
So, while it's best to avoid sciatica all together by maintaining a healthy spine, it's not the end of the world if sciatica strikes. My advice if it does...call a chiropractor.
Dr. Eben Davis is clinic director of Executive Express Chiropractic in San Francisco.
Directions to Executive Express Chiropractic
San Francisco Chiropractor Comments:
The primary cause of sciatica (pain down the leg) is a herniated lumbar disc or a bulging lumbar disc (pinching a nerve) . There are other causes such as piriformis syndrome . The piriformis is a muscle in the buttocks that the sciatic nerve passes through which can become inflammed (often in people that sit a lot) and irritate the sciatic nerve.
The sciatic nerve is the largest nerve in the body. It is as large as the diameter of a quarter in some people. Lumbar nerve roots come together after they exit the lumbar spine and form the sciatic nerve which travels down the leg to the feet.
All it takes is a little bit of pressure on the sciatic nerve to irritate it and cause pain down the leg. Under normal circumstances (when the spine is in alignment and the discs are healthy) there is plenty of room for the nerves to exit the spine.
However, when the spine is out of alignment it can cause abnormal wear and tear on the lumbar discs, and cause them to bulge, herniate, and degenerate. A degenerated disc will weaken over time, leading to degenerative disc disease, bulging discs, and disc herniations...and eventually pinched nerves and sciatica.
Maintaining proper spinal alignment can help avoid sciatica.
Once someone experiences the symptoms of sciatica, chances are there has been a problem in the lumbar spine manifesting for many years. Sciatica is much more common in people that are overweight or obese. Excess bodyweight will make it more difficult to treat sciatica also. Weight loss should be a component of the treatment plan...preferably with a diet rich in plant foods which will help reduce inflammation.
Chiropractic Treatment Options For Sciatica: Chiropractic adjustments, spinal exercises (or a controlled Yoga program ), Active Release Technique (ART), and therapeutic pain laser are some of the treatments that could and should be introduced as soon as possible. If the above treatment fail to deliver results, nonsurgical spinal decompression should be considered . Proper sleep and work postures should also be addressed.
Some patients will have already seen a medical doctor for pain control. If the pain is not bearable your chiropractor will refer you for a medical opinion. It is very common these days for chiropractors and medical doctors to work together to co-manage care for chronic back pain patients.
So, while it's best to avoid sciatica all together by maintaining a healthy spine, it's not the end of the world if sciatica strikes. My advice if it does...call a chiropractor.
Dr. Eben Davis is clinic director of Executive Express Chiropractic in San Francisco.
Directions to Executive Express Chiropractic