Many times patients come in with low back pain and think it is sciatica. Often times it is not. Low back pain can result from many reasons, including bad foot mechanics, hip socket issues, an inflamed lymphatic chain, and pelvic dysfunction, just to name a few. It takes asking the right questions through a detailed patient history, and a thorough exam to see what is the pain generating cause. Most often times I find that the area of the pain is not the area of the problem, but instead the area that is taking on too much stress from overcompensating. Like a mechanic is to your car, a chiropractor is to your body. We fine tune a complex machine for optimal performance.
So what is sciatica? Sciatica is a symptom. There may be leg pain that shoots down to your foot, a leg cramp, or pain so excruciating that sitting or standing is very difficult. The pain may become worse when you sit, sneeze or cough. Sciatica can occur suddenly or develop over time.You may feel weakness, numbness/tingling "pins and needles" or a burning sensation in your upper or lower leg. Sometimes symptoms can be the inability to bend your knee or move your foot.
What causes sciatica? Inflammation. Sometimes referred to as a "pinched nerve". The nerve may become irritated inside or outside the spinal canal as it passes into the leg. Conditions that can cause sciatica include:
- Herniated or "slipped" disc which can cause pressure on a nerve and is one of the most common causes of sciatica.
- Piriformis syndrome develops when the piriformis muscle, a muscle that lies deep in the gluteal region, becomes tight or spasms, which can put pressure on the nerve.
- Spinal stenosis is a condition that results form narrowing of the spinal canal with pressure on the nerves.
- Spondyloisthesis is a slippage of one vertebra so that it is out of line with the one above, narrowing the opening through which the nerve exits.
So how do you treat sciatica? At Randall Chiropractic and Massage, we have several treatment options.
- Chiropractic. The goal of chiropractic is to increase and maintain optimal joint function and movement. The spinal column and skull act as a suit of armor for your brian and nervous system. Abnormal wear and tear, stress (emotional, environmental and chemical) lead to your body's inability to adapt to specific demands that are placed on our body everyday. This inability to adapt leads to joint and muscular dysfunction. Getting an adjustment to poorly functioning areas will take stress off of the joint, nerve and disc to allow for healing and better communication between the brain and the body.
- Massage Therapy is another treatment method that helps to relax those muscles that are tight, spasmed and /or splinting due to an underlying issue.
- Lymphatic Drainage is a technique that helps your body get rid of stagnant inflammation in the lymph nodes, which can also cause nerve irritation. Lymphatic fluid can only move throughout the body through muscular contractions and breathing. When the body is overwhelmed with inflammation, especially at a particular area of the body, the lymph nodes become overwhelmed with trying to move the fluid. This causes a "traffic jam" of fluid and that excess inflammatory product increases irritation.
- Amino Neurofrequency Therapy uses a combination of frequency emitting devices that you wear or ANF discs. Each disc is applied directly to the skin and activated by your body's inferred heat. They transmit a unique range of frequency through the nerves the body. The nervous system picks up these frequencies which trigger the body's self healing and self regulating processes. By improving the way your nervous system signals on a cellular level, the effect of the treatment is quickened has remarkable results. The ANF therapy does not require the use of any drugs or chemicals.
If you or someone you know is suffering from a low back pain with no relief or results, call our office to schedule an appointment! 360-459-1320