Sciatica Relief
Sciatica can be a very painful condition involving one or both legs. It typically includes pain, tingling numbness and/or weakness that runs down the back of the leg. These symptoms are caused by irritation of the sciatic nerve in your leg or the nerve roots in your lower back.
How Does the Sciatic Nerve Get Irritated?
Many things can cause irritation, interference or injury to the sciatic nerve. Disc herniations can press on the nerves, resulting in pain. In addition, fluid from inside the disc may leak out and irritate the nerve roots.
Nerve damage can also be caused by trauma, degeneration and “wear and tear.” No matter what the cause, irritation in the sciatic nerve can cause it to be extremely sensitive, with the slightest movements triggering shooting, burning or electrical pain that travels the length of the leg.
How We Can Help
Sciatica can be acute, lasting a few weeks, or chronic, lasting months or years. Our chiropractor, Bentley Woon, will take the time to listen as you explain your health history and your sciatic pain. He’ll conduct an in-depth examination to locate the cause of your pain and design a care plan customised for your specific situation.
Gentle chiropractic adjustments, specific soft tissue therapies and rehab exercises to stimulate blood flow can help promote healing in the area. It’s important to continue moving to the extent that you can and continue doing the things you enjoy—without doing activities that increase your pain significantly.
Is Sciatica Serious?
The intensity of sciatic pain tends to make patients assume it is a serious condition. This is rarely the case. While nerves are sensitive and easily irritated, they are also quite strong and resilient. As they heal, the irritation will subside and your pain will lessen.
It’s a good idea to see a medical doctor to make sure your sciatic pain is in fact sciatica and not a medical condition.