Sciatica is a distinctive type of back pain. It usually originates in the lower back, but the sciatic nerves move through the buttocks and down the legs to the feet. The pain can be located anywhere along one of those nerves. It not only causes burning, tingling, and shooting pain, but it can alsocause numbness and weakness in the leg, which can result in falls. Dr. Matt Atkinson of Atkinson Family Spine Care in Greenwood, SC, offers chiropractic care for sciatica pain.
Chiropractic adjustments
Chiropractic adjustments are designed to correct misalignments in the spine that interrupt the free flow of impulses from the brain to the rest of the body. When the vertebrae are out of alignment, they may press on the nerves where they emerge from the spinal cord. This can result in back pain, including sciatica when a misaligned lumbar vertebrae compresses a sciatic nerve root. By getting the vertebrae in the lower back aligned, the shooting pains of sciatica can be resolved.
Massage therapy
Massage therapy is good for the back and an excellent complementary treatment. When the muscles are relaxed, the chiropractic adjustment is easier to perform and likelier to hold. Massage therapy also assists with blood flow, reducing muscle tightness.
Trigger point massage
Trigger points are knots that form in the muscles. They are painful to the touch and impede movement. These knots can form anywhere that you have had trauma. Trigger point massage is a specialized form of massage therapy that targets these knots of tight muscles to break them up and restore muscle texture. It reduces pain and is helpful when muscle damage is contributing to pressure on the sciatic nerve.
Therapeutic ultrasound
Therapeutic ultrasound uses soundwaves to go deep beneath the skin to target damaged cells in the soft tissues, joints, and nerves. It reduces pain by encouraging the production of endorphins, reduces inflammation, and breaks up scar tissue. It is done with a handheld device and the warming and vibration of the tissue are painless.
Therapeutic exercise
Therapeutic exercise is particularly effective for sciatica. Having strong back muscles helps to keep joints in the position they need to be and makes it less likely the muscles will suffer damage and tighten. Your chiropractor will design a program for you that will allow you to maintain your flexibility and get back to a pain-free life.
Dr. Atkinson of Atkinson Family Spine Care offers sciatica treatment in Greenwood, SC. To make an appointment, give the office a call at 864-381-7567 or send us an email.