Are you experiencing pain along one side of your body from your lower back down through your hip and the back of your leg? If so, you could be suffering from a condition called sciatica. But, don’t worry! If you’ve got Sciatica in Austin, chiropractic reduces pain and promotes healing!
According to the Mayo Clinic, sciatica can best be described as “most commonly occurring when a herniated disk or a bone spur on the spine compresses part of the nerve. This causes inflammation, pain and often some numbness in the affected leg.”
A variety of issues affect your chances of ending up with sciatica. Most of them deal with increased pressure on the spine.
Lifestyle issues that affect Sciatica in Austin TX
Obesity: carrying too much weight is instrumental in bringing on a number of health related issues. Extra pounds overload the spine, causing damage that results in sciatica.
Improper lifting: Individuals who frequently twist and lift heavy loads are more likely to suffer from sciatica. Certain jobs that require these movements are a key cause of the condition.
Sedentary lifestyle: A person’s job does not have to involve lifting to be responsible for this condition. Sitting for extended periods without stretching or standing puts excess pressure on the spine and can cause sciatica.
Too many birthdays: Getting older can affect all of our body’s joints and bones in a negative manner, especially if we never committed to an exercise routine. Your back can deteriorate with age, which can cause bone spurs and herniated disks that sometimes result in sciatica.
Looking for Sciatica relief? What are your options?
Pain medication: A common and easy way to treat sciatica is with drug therapy. Anti-inflammatory drugs are frequently used to reduce the inflammation around the nerve, which is a big contributor of the pain. Over-the-counter pain medicines, as well as codeine, may also help with pain management. Sometimes, cortisone shots are offered if all other options have failed.
Unfortunately, any drug based intervention only addresses the symptoms, not the root cause.
Acupuncture: Alternative therapies like acupuncture have shown positive results in the treatment of sciatica. If a drug-free treatment option appeals to you, find an experienced acupuncturist in your area and talk to them about treatment options.
Strengthening exercises: A consistent exercise program strengthens your muscles and helps the body function effectively. Ask your doctor which exercises assist the body with bouncing back from sciatica.
Supplements: Supplying the body with vital vitamins and minerals assists in overall health in general, including improvement from sciatica. Daily doses of supplements such as calcium, magnesium, St. John’s Wort, and Vitamin B12 have shown to treat sciatica effectively.
Relief for Sciatica in Austin: how our chiropractor can help.
Chiropractic care: Chiropractors understand all things spine-related, and work with the body as a whole to help it heal itself. If you’re struggling with sciatica in Austin, chiropractic relieves pain and promotes healing. The treatment works to align the spine and reduce the stress to the lower back. Treatment helps alleviate the underlying causes of the condition, and shows positive results in a short amount of time.
Dealing with sciatica is painful and irritating, as the condition often sidelines the sufferer from daily activities. By knowing the treatment options that are effective in combating both the underlying causes and the pain of sciatica, sufferers can begin a regimen that will help them get back on their feet, pain-free in the shortest period of time possible.
If you are suffering from sciatica and would like to talk to our experienced chiropractor about how to treat the condition, contact us today.
How our Austin Chiropractor is different
You may well have seen a chiropractor before. Some of our patients haven’t always had the best experience, or they don’t like the idea of the twisting and cracking involved with regular chiropractic. Upper cervical chiropractic techniques, such as Blair or NUCCA , are a very gentle and specific way to realign the bones of the spine and relieve pressure on spinal nerves. Our Blair chiropractor in Austin says it’s a very different approach to what most people think of, when they think of ‘chiropractic’!