Waldorf Chiropractic Center

SCIATICA

Sciatica: The Answers You Have Been Looking For

Those suffering from sciatica are found to be in their 30s and 40s.

It usually begins with low back pain that does not seem to go away. In time the pain starts to travel down one or both legs. The pain is usually worse with prolonged sitting and standing.

Think of your nervous system as the phone company. You have a large feed that progressively becomes smaller and smaller until it is the small line that plugs into the back of your phone. The large trunk is your spinal cord and the smaller wires are nerve roots exiting from the spine. The small nerve root may become "pinched" by the discs that sit in between the bones of the spine and act as shock absorbers.

How does the disc 'pinch' a Nerve?
Think of the discs of your spine as a jelly doughnut. The jelly inside the doughnut moves around inside. If you press the doughnut you can feel the jelly move. You will find if you squeeze too hard the jelly will squirt out. This is similar to what happens with the disc. When you press the disc in such a way it was not meant to be pressed (i.e. Bending forward and turning) some of the disc material can come out. This is commonly referred to as a disc bulge.

When the bulge pinches or compresses the nerve route that is connected to the sciatic nerve, we call this sciatica.

Sciatica often worsens with extended bed rest. Pain killers and muscle relaxers are unable to correct the problem at hand--nerve root compression.

Fortunately, sciatica responds greatly to chiropractic care. By improving the motion of the spine though a series of adjustments, chiropractic has given numerous people with sciatica great relief. Many patients report that after treatment they can return to doing the activities they enjoy.

How do you get sciatica?
It's easy to trace some spinal problems to an event, such as a car accident. Yet sciatica is often the result of cumulative damage. pinal decay could also be a cause.

Can chiropractic cure sciatica?
Actually, chiropractic does not cure anything. Only your body can do that. The chiropractic approach to any health problem is to restore correct function to the spine, thus reducing nerve interference. This increases your body's own health and vitality naturally.

How long will I need Chiropractic Care?
Most sciatica patients are delighted with the results they get after weeks or months of care. These patients also may elect to continue with periodic chiropractic check-ups.