Sciatica is a painful condition that affects your back and legs. Back pain from sciatica can easily disrupt the simple pleasures and even daily routines in life. At Newton Center Chiropractic in Newton, MA, we offer several chiropractic care treatment options to help manage sciatica’s painful symptoms and help prevent future sciatica flare-ups.
What is Sciatica?
The sciatic nerve branches out down each leg from the lower back/hip area. If the sciatic nerve, the largest in the human body, becomes compressed or inflamed, it can reverberate unbearable pain in the afflicted and connected areas.
Sciatica is a condition characterized by various intensities of pain that can radiate – often referred to as a tingling sensation to intense pain - along the path of the sciatic nerve. More often than not, sciatic nerve pain impacts just one side of the body. Tingling, numbness, and shooting pain are all common symptoms of an inflamed sciatic nerve.
How Can Chiropractic Care Help With Sciatica?
Our chiropractor has a variety of techniques and skills that can help reduce the pressure on the nerve – the source of your discomfort or pain. Simple and gentle adjustments can help relieve sciatica’s painful symptoms. Chiropractic care may also include complementary therapies like massage, heat, and electronic stimulation, which can help release muscle tension surrounding the inflamed nerve.
A chiropractor can also educate you as to the various lifestyle changes – like improving your posture or lifting heavy objects correctly, to help ensure you avoid another painful sciatic flare-up.
Self-Care for Sciatica
With a doctor’s approval, there are some self-care techniques to use that may help in acute and painful moments if you are prone to sciatic pain -
- Gentle exercise – Gentle exercise eases the tension and may help to strengthen core muscles.
- Gentle stretching – Staying limber, especially as one gets older, is vital to maintaining your current range of motion and staying flexible.
- Alternate ice/heat therapies – Note that your skin should always be protected. Ice helps to reduce inflammation. Heat encourages blood flow, therefore, encouraging healing in the region.
Would You Like a Sciatica Consultation with a Leading Chiropractor in Newton, MA?
If leg or back pain is disrupting your daily routine, contact us online or speak to one of our Newton Center Chiropractic professionals by telephone at (617) 332-9080 to schedule an appointment.