Most of us have heard of Sciatica. For some, it may be so familiar the mere sound of the word sends reminder pains down the leg.
Sciatica occurs when the sciatic nerve – the longest and largest in the body – becomes irritated and inflamed. The sciatic nerve is made up of five nerves that leave the spinal cord from the lower spinal column, join in the pelvic area, and travel down the leg. It is not surprising, then, that sciatica sufferers may experience pain at several locations along the sciatic nerve path, from the back of the thigh to the ankle, foot or toes. The pain of sciatica is often a deep ache which, upon movement, can become very sharp and may range from occasional to constant. Often accompanying sciatic pain are other sensations such as numbness, pins and needles, tingling, irritability or tenderness.
Sciatica has a wide variety of causes: strain or sprains of the lower back, disc problems, arthritic problems of the lower back or hips, poor posture, obesity, bone diseases, or internal diseases such as diabetes. One of the primary causes of sciatic nerve irritation is abnormal position and motion of the vertebrae in the lower back.
Proper treatment for any symptom, including leg and back pain, must begin with a correct diagnosis. Your chiropractic doctor is specifically trained to diagnose the cause of your symptoms and to recommend appropriate treatment. Research has found chiropractic care to be very effective for the relief of most forms of sciatica and back pain. The chiropractic profession emphasizes the importance of restoring and maintaining proper structural integrity (correct alignment and biomechanics) of the spine. A healthy spine involves, among other things, normal positioning and mobility of all joints of the back and pelvis. Many causes of sciatic pain irritate the sciatic nerve by adversely altering the normal positioning and mobility of the spine.
Through gentle spinal adjustments and other procedures, your chiropractor can help to restore normal position and optimum mobility to the spine and pelvis. Correct spinal biomechanics allow normal nerve function to return. Relief from sciatica pain may be as simple as a call to your chiropractor.
- For a consultation or more information you can reach Dr. Browner and Dr. Behar at Windmill Health Center in Weston at 954-217-4881. They have two additional locations to serve you in Pembroke Pines and Naples; contact the Weston location for more information.