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What is Sciatica and How Can You Get Rid of It?

The Advanced Physicians Team • July 1, 2021

If you have lower back pain, you may have wondered whether it is sciatica. In many cases, the condition makes it difficult to get comfortable in a chair. About 40% of people deal with sciatica in their lives, and the probability increases with age. Read on to understand sciatica and the different treatments available:


What Is Sciatica?

a close up of a skeleton with a purple light coming out of it .

Sciatica is actually not a condition. Rather, it describes the symptoms that result from a compressed or pinched sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve is the body’s longest nerve, which starts in the low back, extends through the buttock area, and branches to the hips, legs, and feet. The nerve supplies sensation to the back of the thighs, ankles, lower legs, and the soles of the feet and supports movement in the lower legs.


If there is any irritation on the sciatic nerve, there will be pain that starts at the low back to the back of the thigh and then below the knee. In most cases, the prolapsed disc presses on the interverbal nerves and irritates the sciatic nerve. These symptoms are common among people with disk degeneration due to aging.


Symptoms of Sciatica

The primary symptom of sciatica is a shooting pain that begins in your lower back, down to your buttock, and then the back of your thigh and calf. The pain level varies from mild discomfort to excruciating pain.


Typically, the pain gets worse if you stand or sit for many hours, and it can be constant or come and go. Also, it may get worse if you sneeze, cough, or perform any other sudden body movement. The pain commonly affects one leg at a time, although it is possible for sciatica to affect both legs simultaneously. Other sciatica symptoms include:

  • Weakness or numbness in the knee or leg. You may experience loss of power in the legs and have trouble moving the foot
  • Trouble sitting in a comfortable position as all positions gets irritating and painful
  • Painful tingling in your feet or toes
  • Loss of bladder or bowel control in critical cases. This is a critical condition that requires urgent surgery to relieve the pressure on the sciatic nerve

How to Get Rid of Sciatica

The good news for most people with sciatica is that symptoms often improve after a few weeks on their own. However, it is best to seek professional treatment if the symptoms don’t improve. At the clinic, your physician will perform a simple exam to determine the location of the nerve impingement. Additionally, tests like CT scans and MRI scans will detect the cause of sciatica.


The treatment choices for sciatica depend on the severity of your symptoms. For some people, cortisone injections and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs relieve the inflammation around the nerves. Your physician may also recommend the use of cold and hot packs for your lower back. If the sciatica symptoms last for over three months, it may be time for surgery. While it may be tempting to be inactive when you have sciatica, it is essential to keep moving.



GET YOUR BACK CHECKED - REQUEST AN APPOINTMENT


Chiropractic Care for Sciatica

Painkillers and hot packs are only a short-term solution to sciatica’s debilitating lower back pain. Fortunately, chiropractors can relieve the pain naturally for long-term benefits. At Advanced Physicians, we facilitate the body’s ability to heal itself through gentle chiropractic adjustments.


Our skilled chiropractors will customize stretches and manipulation based on your medical history and the severity of the symptoms. These movements realign your spine, increases movement, and reduces pain. As a result, your body eases back into its proper alignment.


In Conclusion


Most sciatica cases resolve on their own, especially those caused by slipped discs. However, sciatica symptoms that don’t disappear quickly can affect your life’s quality, and you may need medical interventions like cortisone injections and pain medications. If you want a drug-free solution to sciatica, talk to our chiropractors today at Advanced Physicians.

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