Relief For Sciatica Pain

The pain may come out of nowhere like a lightning bolt or manifest itself in the form of a constant, nagging ache deep within the hip area. Regardless of how it makes itself known, sciatic pain should not be ignored.

Many people often ignore the early stages of what is a serious condition by neglecting to see a chiropractor who can diagnose and treat the problem.

Sciatica is a term that refers to the painful inflammation of the sciatic nerve, the longest and largest nerve in the body. Sciatica comes from the Latin word which means “hip.” A sciatic nerve may extend from an individual’s buttocks to their toes.

The sciatic nerve forms from five nerve roots in the lower back which join together deep in the pelvis. From there, the sciatic nerve divides into many branch nerves that serve an individual’s muscles, joints, skin and other tissues in the legs and feet.

While sciatica flare-ups may or may not involve back pain, sciatica sufferers frequently have a history of lower back pain. What are some of the causes of sciatic pain? Among them:
• Improper lifting
• Cumulative spinal stress
• Sudden impact or trauma
• A previous injury
• A fall
• Lack of exercise
• Overexertion
• Poor posture
• Long periods of sitting

The spine is directly affected by the chemical, physical and emotional stress of everyday living which can result in spinal misalignments that are known as “subluxations.”

Left untreated, subluxations can cause the opening between an individual’s vertebrae to narrow and compress, irritating and stretching the sciatic nerve. Sciatica can frequently be traced to one or more misaligned vertebra.

The most common cause of sciatica is an irritation of nerve roots as they exit from the spine.
Eventually, damaged nerves can restrict joint movement which interferes with the release of lubricants to an individual’s discs.

When unhealthy discs dry out, the result is that the gel-like center begins to bulge out or herniate. The bulging or herniated disc matter can press against the sciatic nerve, resulting in additional irritation. As a result, irreversible damage may occur if the nerve interference is not removed. The consequence is that permanent damage to the musculoskeletal system may have already occurred by the time an individual begins to feel pain or numbness.

Chiropractors can identify the specific misaligned vertebrae and remove resulting nerve irritation. Once a diagnosis has been made chiropractors can use gentle and safe spinal adjustments to correct the underlying causes of sciatica. Patients frequently feel better after a few adjustments and continue care to prevent the spinal misalignment from returning. Chiropractors can recommend changes made to the work or home environment to also help prevent sciatica from returning. Just as a person takes time to take care of their teeth, they also need to take time to take care of their back. Similarly, just as a person needs a dentist to maintain healthy teeth, they need a chiropractor to maintain a healthy spine.