Treatment for Sciatica in Edmonds
Experiencing pain in your lower back may raise concerns about potential causes of the discomfort. In some cases, the underlying cause relates to the sciatic nerve in your lower back. When you have sciatic nerve pain, you may need professional treatment from a chiropractor to address the symptoms and encourage natural healing. At the Optimal Health Chiropractic and Massage Clinic, we offer treatment for sciatica in Edmonds to help with sciatic nerve relief.
What is Sciatica?
Sciatica refers to a type of pain caused by a pinched nerve in your lower back. The pinched or compressed nerve causes physical symptoms as it sends a message through your nervous system. Essentially, it makes your lower back hurt and it may cause additional discomfort as the symptoms worsen.
The underlying reasons for sciatica depend on the situation, but it may relate to your posture, lifestyle, certain activities and injuries. At our clinic, we evaluate your symptoms to determine when sciatica treatment may help with your discomfort. We use up-to-date diagnostic tools to ensure accurate treatment for your discomfort.
Causes of Sciatica
The reasons you may develop sciatica depend on a variety of factors, including your current physical situation and any complications with your health. In some cases, the cause stems from accidents or injuries to your body. In other situations, it directly relates to your health.
Common causes of sciatica include:
- Pregnancy due to the additional pressure on the lower back from a growing fetus
- Poor posture, particularly if you work in an office and must sit for several hours
- Degenerative disc disease or related ailments contributing to your discomfort
- Injuries from a car accident
- Herniated discs or a bulging disc
- Spinal stenosis, or the narrowing of the spinal canal from wear and tear on the spine
- Tumors in the spine
- Spasms or pressure from the piriformis muscle in the buttocks that runs over the sciatic nerve
- Inflammation in specific areas
The actual cause of sciatica varies based on your lifestyle and situation. Generally, we evaluate your needs and provide a personalized treatment plan based on your needs.
Symptoms of Sciatica
The signs and symptoms of sciatica depend on the severity of the pinched nerve and your situation. In many cases, you will notice the pain that radiates from your lower back and down to the back of your thighs. The severity of the pain or discomfort may vary based on the severity of the pinched nerve and it can worsen over time.
Common symptoms of sciatica include:
- Radiating pain, particularly in your lower back, buttocks and the back of your thighs
- Pain that persists and continues moving down the leg
- Worsening pain when sitting, coughing or sneezing
- Pain that worsens on one side of the body
- Numbness in your legs
- Weakness in your lower body
- Uncomfortable tingling along the entire area
- Symptoms that come and go over time
- It does not hurt to press on your lower back
Mild cases of sciatica may not require chiropractic care or treatment; however, you do want to seek sciatica pain relief when the symptoms persist and it worsens over time. You may notice worsening pain in specific situations, but the amount of discomfort can change over time from normal activities. If it worsens or persists for a few days, then seek sciatica treatment from a chiropractor in our clinic.
Treatment for Sciatica
The types of treatment for sciatica depend on a variety of factors, including your symptoms and the reasons for your pain. At our clinic, we evaluate your needs carefully before recommending any treatment processes. We generally use a combination of treatments to address the pain and discomfort without taking unnecessary risks with your health.
Chiropractic care uses gentle stretches and adjustments to your body to address sciatica and back pain. At our clinic, we use chiropractic adjustments to improve the alignment of your spine and encourage natural healing through your back and body. The adjustments help alleviate additional pressure on your lower back and spine, which may help with sciatica.
We also use decompression therapy to reduce pressure on specific nerves in your back. Decompression therapy is particularly effective when the cause of excess pressure, or sciatica, relates to a herniated or bulging disc. Adjusting the alignment of the spine while actively reducing compression, or pressure, on the area helps alleviate pain and discomfort.
At our clinic, we offer a holistic approach to sciatic nerve relief and use a combination of chiropractic techniques with acupuncture. The acupuncture treatments alleviate the pain associated with sciatica, which allows you to move easily and encourages healing processes. When we combine the acupuncture with diversified chiropractic techniques and treatments, we help your back and spine heal from the discomfort and pain.
Massage therapy at our clinic focuses on the muscle discomfort that may develop when you have sciatica. Sciatic pain relief does not directly relate to massage, but it does benefit your body and work well with other treatments. The primary reason to consider massage therapy as part of your chiropractic care is the impact on your muscles. Sciatic nerve pain may cause you to tense up your muscles and further reduce your mobility or flexibility. Over time, your muscles become less flexible and may tense up, which contributes to the pressure on your nerves.
Contact Optimal Health Chiropractic and Massage Clinic for Relief
Sciatica pain relief starts with an effective treatment strategy. At our clinic, we evaluate the causes of your pain and develop a personalized treatment plan using a variety of techniques and strategies. To learn more about our treatments or for an appointment, call (425) 361-1839 today.
