SCIATICA

WHAT IS SCIATICA OR SCIATIC PAIN?

Sciatica is a pain that occurs when the sciatic nerve becomes irritated. The pain often starts in the lower back or buttocks and then travels down the back of the leg. Many sciatica suffers describe it as a stabbing, electric, or burning pain as if someone stuck a knife into their leg or electrocuted them. Sciatica may also cause numbness, tingling, and leg weakness.

What causes Sciatica or Sciatic Pain?

The sciatic nerve itself is made up of the union of several nerves exiting the lower portion of the spine. Therefore, the most common cause of sciatica is an inflamed, herniated or degenerated lumbar disc pressing on one or several of these nerves as they exit the lumbar spine later joining to form the sciatic nerve. It can also be due to pelvic imbalance which can cause tightness of the muscles around the nerve. This is the less common form of sciatica and is commonly referred to as piriformis syndrome. Though many people with sciatica have both an imbalanced pelvis and lumbar disc problems.

Treatment options for Sciatica

Medical treatments aim at reducing pain and inflammation using oral medications and steroid injections. Surgery may even be suggested in severe cases. Massage therapies can help temporarily relax tightened muscles around the spine, buttocks, and legs. Physical therapy is another option for sciatic suffers that will focus on stretching and rehabilitating weak muscles.

Blair Chiropractic and Sciatica

Patients with sciatica are often surprised when they go to a Blair Chiropractor for the first time, because while sciatica is a pain that occurs in the lower half of the body, the Blair chiropractor focuses their efforts on the top portion of the neck! So, what is the connection with your neck bones and the sciatic nerve? First the top of the neck is the weakest area of the spine making it susceptible to misalignment with the head. When the atlas vertebra at the top of the neck misaligns it often tilts the head thus stimulating a series of posture reflexes which can create compensations in the lumbar and pelvic regions. As the low back muscles tighten asymmetrically, one side of the hip raises and the other dips down causing a shift in how pressure is distributed on lumbar discs, muscles, and joints. Then over the next months or even years this abnormally distributed pressure can accelerate disc and joint degeneration. In addition, a chronically misaligned pelvis can change the flexibility and tension of the lumbar and pelvic muscles (piriformis) which can also contribute to sciatica pain.

A Blair chiropractor will conduct a thorough examination and history to determine if you have an Upper Cervical Subluxation that could be causing your low back and pelvis to compensate. People suffering from sciatica are often shocked at how easy it can be to improve their symptoms with Blair Chiropractic. Especially when they have focused solely on treating the symptomatic area only. The strategy for correcting the cause of sciatica is quite simple. If the hips and low back are compensating, you can stretch and treat these areas all day, but if the treatment does not result in a balanced low back and pelvis, the symptom will never fully resolve.

Furthermore, if a postural reflex caused by an Upper Cervical Subluxation is causing your hips to tilt, then it has to be corrected from the origin of the problem. In most cases, the hips will begin to change within minutes of the Blair Chiropractic Technique adjustive procedure. The Blair Doctor will set up a series of check-ups over the necessary period to ensure the nerves and muscles have time to heal. Depending on severity and chronicity of the problem, symptoms may improve the same day or take several weeks.