Sciatica is also known as sciatic nerve pain and is a condition found much too often in the world today. The pain begins in the lower back or lumbar area. The effects of the pain radiate into the legs, hips and buttocks, along the path of the large sciatic nerve. This nerve begins approximately at the coccyx and splits to extend the full length of each leg. When a person suffers from sciatic nerve pain, the activities of sleeping, sitting, standing or walking are very painful. The condition is best addressed using alternative therapy, particularly chiropractic manipulation.
In most instances, sciatic nerve pain originates in the lower back. It occurs when one of the two main branches of the nerve is compressed or irritated. Usually, the irritation is the result of disc issues. The disc may be compressed so that it bulges into the surrounding tissue. This condition is known as a bulging disc. The disc may also be described as herniated or ruptured, depending upon the type of damage that has occurred.
The compression of the disc is usually the result of a misalignment or subluxation of vertebrae which make up the spinal column. Under normal conditions, there is room between each pair of vertebrae for the cushioning discs to do their job. When the spinal vertebrae are not lined up with adequate space between the bones, pressure is placed on the discs. This causes them to bulge. Because the spaces between the vertebrae are reduced, there is less cushioning effect.
Patients suffering from sciatic nerve pain have traditionally gone to a physician who is more likely to prescribe pain medication or surgical procedures. This type of therapy is often considered unsuccessful in relieving the pain. Medications can cause long-term damage to body organs, and surgery is both costly and hard on the entire body. The recovery time can be lengthy and the causative condition may recur. Using the gentle, non-invasive and non-pharmaceutical methods offered by chiropractors often proves to be more successful.
In the United States, chiropractic manipulation of lumbar spine or lower back vertebrae is a preferred alternative medicine form of therapy. It is usually performed by chiropractors. The manipulation or adjustments may take the form of manual or machine-assisted methods.
About ninety percent of sciatic nerve pain sufferers indicate that their pain is alleviated when the chiropractic methods are utilized as a sole therapy. The specific methods include traction to decompress the discs, removal of subluxations, electrical muscle stimulation to promote circulation and range-of-motion improvement. Exercises to improve mobility and strengthen muscle groups are often utilized as part of the range of methods.
Alternative medicine users are helped in a majority of cases. This is true even when other methods of therapy, such as prescription medications, surgery, and physical therapy have failed. A success rate of these patients is reported at about sixty percent, after other methods have proven to be ineffective.
Chiropractic care for sciatica is non-invasive. It is more cost effective than surgical procedures and results in a much shorter recovery time. It has been found that seeing a chiropractor first for sciatic nerve pain typically results in just over one patient per one hundred who go on to have surgery. When the surgeon is seen first, forty-three patients per one hundred undergo surgery.
In most instances, sciatic nerve pain originates in the lower back. It occurs when one of the two main branches of the nerve is compressed or irritated. Usually, the irritation is the result of disc issues. The disc may be compressed so that it bulges into the surrounding tissue. This condition is known as a bulging disc. The disc may also be described as herniated or ruptured, depending upon the type of damage that has occurred.
The compression of the disc is usually the result of a misalignment or subluxation of vertebrae which make up the spinal column. Under normal conditions, there is room between each pair of vertebrae for the cushioning discs to do their job. When the spinal vertebrae are not lined up with adequate space between the bones, pressure is placed on the discs. This causes them to bulge. Because the spaces between the vertebrae are reduced, there is less cushioning effect.
Patients suffering from sciatic nerve pain have traditionally gone to a physician who is more likely to prescribe pain medication or surgical procedures. This type of therapy is often considered unsuccessful in relieving the pain. Medications can cause long-term damage to body organs, and surgery is both costly and hard on the entire body. The recovery time can be lengthy and the causative condition may recur. Using the gentle, non-invasive and non-pharmaceutical methods offered by chiropractors often proves to be more successful.
In the United States, chiropractic manipulation of lumbar spine or lower back vertebrae is a preferred alternative medicine form of therapy. It is usually performed by chiropractors. The manipulation or adjustments may take the form of manual or machine-assisted methods.
About ninety percent of sciatic nerve pain sufferers indicate that their pain is alleviated when the chiropractic methods are utilized as a sole therapy. The specific methods include traction to decompress the discs, removal of subluxations, electrical muscle stimulation to promote circulation and range-of-motion improvement. Exercises to improve mobility and strengthen muscle groups are often utilized as part of the range of methods.
Alternative medicine users are helped in a majority of cases. This is true even when other methods of therapy, such as prescription medications, surgery, and physical therapy have failed. A success rate of these patients is reported at about sixty percent, after other methods have proven to be ineffective.
Chiropractic care for sciatica is non-invasive. It is more cost effective than surgical procedures and results in a much shorter recovery time. It has been found that seeing a chiropractor first for sciatic nerve pain typically results in just over one patient per one hundred who go on to have surgery. When the surgeon is seen first, forty-three patients per one hundred undergo surgery.
About the Author:
Pamela Lindi Joseph is an author writing about how you can be healthy. Would you like more information regarding a Pittsburgh North chiropractor? Get more information about this chiropractor Pittsburgh North.
