Chiropractic Care for Sciatica Conditions

Is Sciatica a Disease? Or a Medical Condition?

Sciatica is a common, yet misunderstood set of symptoms (or condition). It is not a disease.

• It is a symptom: One source explicitly states that sciatica is the symptom of an underlying medical condition. Because it is a symptom, focus is placed on identifying and treating the root physical problem (such as a herniated disc, spinal stenosis, or muscle spasms) rather than just masking the radiating pain.
• It is a condition: Multiple sources describe sciatica as a debilitating, chronic, or clinical condition. This condition is defined by the irritation, strain, inflammation, or compression of the sciatic nerve or its lumbosacral nerve roots (L4 to S3).

Most cases of mild sciatica resolve on their own. However, when sciatica doesn’t resolve on its own, it can lead to chronic pain and muscle weakness. When this happens, rely on the expertise of a chiropractic team, like the one at St. Paul Chiropractic and Natural Medicine Center.

Dr. Christopher Lilja is a top St. Paul expert offering sciatic nerve treatments to relieve your pain in a safe manner and without medication.

What is a Sciatica Condition?

‘Sciatica’ is a layman’s term used to describe a common back problem, and as such, it is not a clinical definition of any specific condition.

Sciatica is a label for pain that’s triggered when your sciatic nerve becomes pinched. The sciatic nerve travels from your lower back, past your hips, and down each leg. Sciatica pain can be found anywhere along this path and is often felt through the entire length.

Viewing Sciatica as a “Signal”

Most people only experience sciatica on one side of their body. The pain can be mild or severe. The pain can be felt as an electric shock or as a deep aching pain. It can also cause your affected leg and foot to feel numb or weak.

What Causes a Sciatica Condition to Flare-up?

• Prolonged sitting
• Asymmetrical loading
• Physical deconditioning
• Improper mechanics
• Micro-trauma

These actions aggravate underlying spinal issues that pinch or inflame the sciatic nerve.

Read this post to understand the understand the common causes of sciatica pain. Anything that puts continuted pressure on the sciatic nerve can be extremely painful.

When the body is dehydrated, the discs lose hydration and shrink, making them more prone to injuries like herniation or bulging.

Sciatica often resolves on its own. When it doesn’t, it’s a good idea to see a medical provider. Left untreated, some cases of sciatica can lead to permanent damage to your sciatica nerve. This could cause you to lose feeling in your affected leg or even lose control of your bowel and bladder.

Chiropractic Care for the Sciatic Condition

When most people think of chiropractic care, they primarily imagine “getting your back and neck cracked” to alleviate back or neck pain. It is true that this process, known as chiropractic adjustments, is a big part of the chiropractic treatment of sciatica, but chiropractors use a variety of treatment methods to address sciatic nerve impingement and pain:

• Cold therapy which reduces inflammation.
• SoftWave therapy which soothes pain with a gentle heat created by sound waves that penetrate muscles, increasing circulation and reducing muscle spasms, stiffness, and pain.
• Chiropractic spinal manipulation which frees the spine to move properly and restores proper alignment to vertebrae experiencing subluxation.
• Spinal decompression therapy involves stretching the spine, with the goal of relieving back pain and/or leg pain.

Relief of Sciatic-Related Conditions

Ultimately, sciatica is best understood as a painful condition and clinical symptom that alerts you to a physical, mechanical, or inflammatory problem in your lower back

For long-lasting healing, you need a chiropractor’s help. At St. Paul Chiropractic and Natural Health Center, we’ve helped hundreds of sciatica patients find relief through spinal realignment and medical massage.