If you have ever experienced sciatic nerve leg pain (sciatic nerve), you will never forget the intense feeling you have when sciatic nerve leg pain strikes. This sharp, burning and at times stabbing pain is unfortunately quite common, either from a slipped disc, itself or with a disc injury. If you are suffering from sciatica, it is a good idea to seek medical attention right away. The sooner you seek treatment, the less severe the effects will be on your legs, back and overall health. Below are some treatments for sciatica, both traditional alternative and homeopathic.
Traditional Sciatic Nerve Treatment options include physical therapy, pain medications and surgery. Physical therapy usually involves stretching exercises to help prevent further injury to the discs and surrounding muscles and tendons. Physical therapy can be very helpful if you have slipped or herniated a disc in the past. However, it does not always prevent further discs from slipping or causing further injury to the surrounding muscles, ligaments and tendons.
In addition to physical therapy, chiropractors can often provide good sciatic nerve relief. They can treat the muscles and soft tissues that can over time become tight and stressed due to physical activity, improper lifting techniques or sometimes from simply being older and having a shorter spine than most people. By adjustments to your regular alignment and movement patterns, chiropractic practitioners are able to restore your spine to its proper and healthy alignment and promote healthy function of the nervous system, which is key to relieving many of the symptoms of sciatica. For more information on how chiropractic spinal adjustments can help sciatic nerve pain, please see our website Sciatic Nerve Treatment by Steve Shanks, R.Ac.
Sciatica surgery is another option available for some patients. Unfortunately, there is no real magic bullet when it comes to Sciatic Nerve Treatments. In fact, even surgery is no guarantee of success. Most physicians will tell you that you are best off not undergoing surgery if you don’t have to. Surgery may be the only option if the symptoms persist or seem to get worse.
If you do suffer from Sciatica and it doesn’t improve with exercise and stretches, then the next step might be a visit to your doctor for a more thorough exam and diagnosis. You might need to take an MRI or Magnetic Resonance Imaging scan to determine exactly where the compression is occurring and what your precise treatment plan should be. There are many different causes for Sciatic Nerve Pain but the most common are muscle contractions, spasms or possibly even stenosis. Depending on the location and severity of the compression you might only require physical therapy and rest, while others may require surgery or a minimally invasive procedure such as a lumbar interbody fusion procedure.
The third option for Sciatic Nerve Treatment is a procedure called a lumbar interbody fusion. A small titanium clip is placed behind the lower backbone and is connected to the back of the vertebra in your spine. Once the titanium clips are inside the nerve roots, they can’t be pulled out without paralyzing or damaging those roots as well. This procedure is also very effective for Sciatica, but only in cases where the Sciatic Nerve is damaged or compressed too deeply.
It’s hard to find relief from sciatic nerve pain without resorting to some type of surgery. Unfortunately, most doctors won’t recommend surgery for Sciatica unless the patient has severe pain and cannot sit for extended periods of time or does not respond to non-surgical Sciatica treatment. For this reason, chiropractic care has become a popular choice for those suffering from Sciatica. Chiropractic care includes many of the same treatments used for Sciatica but can be much less expensive than surgery.
When seeking non-surgical Sciatica treatment, you should first be sure to visit your chiropractor and see if they use spinal manipulations as part of their standard regimen. If not, then seeing a chiropractor who specializes in lower back health care will likely be the best option for your sciatic nerve issues. Many chiropractors offer several different types of lower back care, including spinal manipulation, massage therapy, as well as other techniques designed to strengthen and stimulate the back. These services can help you regain your energy and function throughout the day. In addition to treating Sciatica, chiropractic care can be an important part of any treatment for sciatic nerve conditions that are caused by pregnancy, bad posture, obesity, diabetes, muscle strain, and more.