Sciatica

Sciatica occurs when the sciatic nerve becomes pinched or compressed. The condition can cause widespread lower back pain and leg pain. Here at Orland Park Integrated Health Center, we can help you manage your nerve pain.

Common Causes of Sciatic Nerve Pain

Since the sciatic nerve spans from the lower back into the feet, an injury anywhere along the path of the nerve can cause pain. Common causes of sciatic nerve pain include herniated discs, tight muscles in the buttocks, degenerative disc disease, spondylolisthesis, misaligned vertebrae and spinal stenosis.

Sciatica can cause mild to severe lower back and leg pain. Pain most commonly occurs in the lumbar region, buttocks and the back of the legs. Severe cases of sciatic nerve pain can cause numbness, tingling and burning sensations as well as difficulty standing and walking.

Treat Sciatica in Orland Park with Chiropractic Care

Chiropractic care for sciatica starts with a thorough examination to determine the causes of your sciatic nerve pain. Sciatica is not a diagnosis of your injury. Instead, it is a description of your symptoms. Once our chiropractor determines the cause of your nerve compression, you will be given a comprehensive treatment program to reduce your symptoms and heal the underlying injury. Your treatment program may contain one or more treatment options, including chiropractic or spinal adjustments, massage therapy, spinal decompression and lifestyle advice.

Chiropractic Adjustments

If your sciatic nerve pain is caused by spinal stenosis, misaligned vertebrae or spondylolisthesis, chiropractic adjustments can help reduce your pain and restore flexibility and range of motion in your back. Chiropractic adjustments involve manually repositioning the vertebrae in your spine to ensure proper alignment. This can reduce inflammation around the affected vertebra and maximize the room around your spinal cord and other nerve roots.

Spinal Decompression

Spinal decompression helps sciatic nerve pain by increasing the spaces between your vertebrae to give your discs more room. This helps individuals with herniated discs and degenerative disc disease where the disc material is pressing on the sciatic nerve. Once the spaces between the discs have been optimized, the bulging sections have the room they need to slowly retract.

Massage Therapy

Muscle soreness can contribute to lower back and leg pain. Massage therapy can help reduce your muscle pain and tightness, which will reduce your overall body pain. Massage therapy is often combined with chiropractic adjustments in order to decrease your healing times and improve your overall health and wellness.

Corrective Exercises

Corrective exercises have been shown to be effective at reducing sciatic nerve pain and restoring lost strength and mobility. There are even exercises you can perform to help reduce the pressure on your sciatic nerve.