What You Need to Know about Sciatica

Sciatica is a condition in which pinching of the sciatic nerve occurs. Although this is a spinal condition, you don’t often feel lower back pain.

A chiropractor in Independence can offer sciatica treatment for your pain and discomfort. Here’s what you need to know about sciatic pain.

You’ll have leg pain instead of lower back pain.

As mentioned, sciatic pain and numbness occurs due to damage to the sciatic nerve. This is located near the spine, yet pain radiates down your buttocks, legs, and sometimes to your toes. You’ll only feel this pain on one side of your body at a time.

The symptoms aren’t always serious.

Depending on the extent of the damage to the sciatic nerve, you may have moderately painful or very painful symptoms.

For some, with medication and lifestyle changes, they can manage just fine with their sciatic pain. For others though, this condition can reduce quality of life.

Expect pins and needles.

Besides the pain, you’re also likely to lose feeling in the legs and feet. This feeling, akin to pins and needles, varies depending on the damage to the nerve root. If it’s by the L5 vertebra for example, you may lose feeling in your feet more than anywhere else.

Age plays a factor (but not always).

Most of the time, older individuals are likely to develop sciatic pain. Those between 50 and 60 may have isthmic spondylolisthesis, degenerative disc disease, or a lumbar herniated disk to blame for the onset of their pain.

Degenerative spondylolisthesis, lumbar spinal stenosis, and spinal degenerations may lead to symptoms in those 60 and older.

That said, if you’re younger than 50, you can still develop this condition. If you’ve had bone fractures, chronic muscle strain, or you’ve been pregnant, you’re at risk.

There are emergency complications associated with sciatica.

In some instances, you may have uncommon symptoms like bowel and bladder incontinence and neurological issues. If so, contact a medical professional right away.

Our chiropractor can help with the pain.

There are plenty of ways to treat sciatic pain besides surgery. A chiropractor in Independence can use spinal manipulations and adjustments to realign damaged vertebrae. This reduces pressure on the spinal nerves, which should in turn reduce your sciatic pain.

In fact, research from Spine Health found that 12 months after receiving surgery, those patients were no better off than those who didn’t receive surgery in terms of pain levels.

About Rickman Chiropractic, Your Independence Chiropractor

Are you looking for an Independence chiropractor? Contact us at Rickman Chiropractic. We specialize in treating lower back pain, pain associated with a bone spur, herniated disk pain, feet and leg pain, migraines and headaches, carpal tunnel, arthritis, hand and arm numbness, back and neck pain, and more. We also offer sciatica treatment.

We’re led by Dr. Steven Rickman, a registered chiropractor who started the clinic in 2000. To learn more or schedule an appointment today, please call (816) 350-0020. You can also visit us at Rickman Chiropractic on 4356 South Noland Road.