Sciatica Treatment with Our Wilmington Chiropractor

If you have sharp, shooting pains or other problems in your leg, foot or lower back, especially when sitting or standing, you may be one of the many individuals laboring under the burden of sciatica. This affliction of the body's largest nerve can stem from acute injuries, spinal misalignment or chronic musculoskeletal disorders. Whatever's causing your sciatica can most likely be treated without dealing with heavy painkillers or major surgical procedures. Our chiropractic team of Dr. Lodes and Dr. Wharton here at Lodes Chiropractic Center can provide with you non-invasive, drug-free, natural sciatica treatment in Wilmington.

Why You're Suffering From Sciatica

Sciatica is actually a syndrome (collection of symptoms) rather than a condition, but the underlying problem is pinching and/or inflammation of the sciatic nerve. This long, thick nerve, which runs through the buttock and down the back of the leg, connects to the spinal cord through lumbar and sacral nerve roots near the bottom of the spine. Since these nerve roots are threaded through narrow spaces between vertebral structures, shifting of these structures easily impede the function their function. The sciatic nerve may also be pinched by spasms of adjacent muscles such as the pirifomis muscle. The resulting sciatica symptoms may include:

• Sharp pain or aches down the back of the leg that gets worse with sitting or standing
• Low back pain (sometimes)
• Tingling sensations in the leg or foot
• Loss of sensation (numbness) in the afflicted limb
• Muscle weakness and impaired motor function

An acute injury can cause sciatica by jolting the vertebral joints and discs out of position so that they press against sciatic nerve roots. But sciatica can also strike, especially between the ages of 30 and 50, due to alignment problems or age-related issues such as bulging discs, spondylolisthesis or spinal stenosis, with the symptoms coming and going in bouts.

Non-Surgical Treatments From Our Wilmington Chiropractor

Most people can get the sciatica relief they need without submitting to surgery or numbing themselves with drugs. Our Wilmington chiropractor can track down the precise cause of your symptoms and address that cause directly through natural methods. For instance, if your sciatic nerve roots are pinched by an errant disc or other spinal structures that are out of alignment, chiropractic adjustments to those areas can bring these structures back into their normal position -- and away from that sensitive nerve tissue.

Our Wilmington chiropractor may also prescribe other therapies to relieve your sciatica symptoms. Massage therapy can relieve muscle spasms that might be pinching the nerve, while stretching and strength-building exercises can help you maintain a straighter posture and keep your spine in line.

Put a Stop to Your Sciatica, Call Our Chiropractor in Wilmington Today!

Are you ready to put a stop to your sciatica? Call our chiropractor in Wilmington at 302-477-1565 for an evaluation. We offer a free consultation for new patients, so you have nothing to lose but your sciatica!

Your sciatic nerve is the largest and longest nerve in your body. Rooted in your lower spine, it runs through each side of your hip and all the way down each leg, giving you the ability to feel and control your lower body. If sciatic nerve pain, or sciatica, has stopped you in your tracks, Michael R. Lodes, DC, and the top-notch team at Lodes Chiropractic Center can help you find natural, long-lasting relief. To learn more, call their Wilmington, Delaware office or book an appointment online today.

Sciatica Q & A

What causes sciatica?

Sciatica occurs when something compresses or irritates the sciatic nerve where it’s rooted to your spine. While it often begins as general lower back pain or discomfort, it can easily progress into a more severe, disabling type of pain that radiates down one of your legs, reaching as far as your calf. The most common causes of sciatica are:

Spinal disc problems

When an intervertebral disc in your lumbar (lower) spine bulges or herniates, it can put intense pressure on your sciatic nerve.

Lumbar stenosis

This age-related narrowing of the spinal canal in your lumbar spine can push on your sciatic nerve and cause chronic pain.

Spinal compression or misalignment

When the bones in your lower spine are slightly compressed or out of alignment, either due to poor posture or trauma, they can crowd and impinge on the sciatic nerve root.

Piriformis syndrome

Situated directly over your sciatic nerve, your piriformis muscle increases pressure on the nerve root when it becomes too tight or spasms.

Traumatic injury

Any injury along the nerve’s path, such as a broken pelvis, can produce sciatica.

What are the symptoms of sciatica?

The most common symptom of sciatica is pain that starts in your lower back and extends down into your buttock, through the back of your thigh; it may also travel down your calf and into your foot. It usually affects just one side of your body.

Sciatica may produce a mild burning sensation or a sharp, electric-like jolt. While it’s possible to feel this pain at an isolated point along the path of the nerve, you’re more likely to experience radiating pain that follows an uninterrupted path.

Sciatica usually gets worse after long periods of sitting or standing. In severe cases, sciatic nerve pain can be triggered or aggravated by minor movements like reaching or coughing.

How does chiropractic care help sciatica?

Sciatica may begin gradually, but it usually intensifies over time. Left untreated, it may become a long-term problem or even a permanent one. Fortunately, this type of nerve pain usually responds well to a combination of noninvasive, natural treatment solutions, including targeted chiropractic care, deep tissue massage, physical therapy, and stretching exercises.

Hands-on chiropractic adjustments can take the immediate pressure off the nerve itself, while spinal decompression therapy can help create more space between the bones of your spine to give herniated or bulging discs a chance to heal properly.

If you’re ready to put sciatic nerve pain in the past, call Lodes Chiropractic Center at 302-477-1565 or schedule an appointment online today.