Nearly 40% of US adults suffer some form of back pain. Even relatively small amounts of back pain can be debilitating. But that often cannot compare to the suffering brought on by sciatica.
Sciatica affects approximately 40% of US adults. It can be even more debilitating than your typical lower back pain and treatment can seem complicated. But if you head to your local sciatica chiropractor in Boulder, CO, you can find immediate relief for your pain.
Ready to find out how to ease your sciatica pain and get relief?
Sciatica is a bit of a misnomer. It is a symptom rather than a full condition on its own. The name comes from the sciatic nerve that runs through your back, buttocks, and into your thigh. It’s one of the longest nerves in your whole body!
The sciatic nerve is responsible for the impulses that control your hamstrings and other lower-body motor functions. It is also responsible for your sense of touch in these lower regions.
While sciatica does cause back pain, it causes a specific kind. It’s important to delineate sciatica pain from normal lower back pain.
Like other nerves in the body, pinching these nerves or putting pressure on them can lead to tingling, numbness, and pain. Once it occurs, bending, twisting, and flexing can exacerbate it.
There are essentially three causes of sciatica:
For that reason, it’s important to diagnose what specifically caused your sciatica.
Pregnant women may also experience sciatic pain. This is because their ligaments will tend to get loose during their term. A fetus can also put pressure on the nerve as it grows larger.
You may also have other conditions that give you a higher likelihood of sciatic pain. In some unique cases, having a previous case of cancer can produce these symptoms.
Disc herniations are most common in the 20-40 age group. There is no outstanding prevalence with gender, though, nor does height seem to affect it.
There does seem to be some evidence of genetic predisposition. For example, a history of nerve issues in your family can increase your likelihood of having nerve pain. But otherwise, it only occurs early as a result of mild to extreme trauma. People who sit down a lot–particularly truck drivers and machine operators–tend to experience it more often, too.
Ideally, you want to schedule an appointment with your chiropractor or doctor’s office right away. But if you need to wait for an appointment, here are some things that you can try at home first.
Naturally, you want to rest if you’re experiencing pain that could result from sciatica. Get a full eight hours of sleep and consider taking some over-the-counter analgesics.
Apply ice or heat packs to the area where you feel the most pain. Ice is ideal in the beginning to cut down on inflammation. The heat helps later on with the healing process.
After you’ve tried rest, you can try to move around a little bit. You may discover that this loosens things up and eases the pain. However, you should stop immediately if moving seems to be making the pain worse.
Your case of sciatica may potentially get better on its own. That said, if you are reading this article, it’s likely because the pain has not gone away. In that case, we have an excellent treatment for sciatica: chiropractic care.
Nerve-related pain is often easy to diagnose. Nerves are responsible for controlling the body as well as transmitting information about sensations–particularly pain. Unfortunately, they are quite sensitive to external pressure.
You can see this for yourself when you get a hand massage. Pressing down hard on the underside of your forearm triggers your nerves, causing your fingers to curl inward. This can hurt, even if the pressure isn’t necessarily causing harm to the nerves.
Chiropractors are experts on nerves, which is the main cause of sciatic pain and other back pain. Chiropractic adjustments aren’t just for adjusting joints or vertebrae.
Nerves are inextricably linked to the function of joints and bones. Understanding them is crucial to practicing in the chiropractic field.
Like most chiropractic treatments, sciatica relief will take time before you heal or experience relief. It’s important that you keep up with your appointments for regular chiropractic treatment to experience the best results.
Sciatica pain can be difficult to treat and is sometimes hard to identify. Fortunately, we can help! We’ve been treating sciatic pain for over 35 years and have the knowledge and expertise to help you. If we can’t figure out the cause, we’ll find someone who can.
Boulder Back Pain Clinic is the best place in Colorado to take care of sciatic pain. Schedule an appointment here and get the relief you need.
I've been seeing Dr. Cahn for over 3 years now and love that he is relaxed, genuine, and personal. He has helped resolve issues with my neck, low back, and hip. I go in for the treatment, but it's probably the great conversations we have that keep me coming back!
Dr. Guzik is awesome. He's knowledgeable, affable, and passionate about wellness. He has a natural, easygoing way with patients that will put you right at ease. I have only great things to say about this practice and Dr. Guzik!
Both Dr. Cahn and Dr. Guzik are highly knowledgeable and skilled in providing excellent care to their patients. They were instrumental in getting me through an injury to be able to compete competitively in triathlon this season. I would highly recommend them to anyone needing high level chiropractic care!
