The Best Strategy to Alleviate Sciatica Pain
We’ve been upper cervical chiropractors in Monmouth for many years now, and we’ve become familiar with helping patients with sciatica pain. As the name suggests, it is a pain stemming from the sciatic nerve, the largest one in the human body.
The sciatic nerve is made up of individual nerve roots that branch off the spinal cord in the lower back area. It travels down the lower back through the buttocks and down the back of both legs. Parts of the sciatic nerve branch out in each leg, which brings feeling and functionality to that area of the body.
If you experience sciatica symptoms, the pain tends to vary based on the location of the problem along the sciatic nerve.
Sciatica pain is a nuisance to deal with, and if you’re one of those who do have sciatica, this article should provide some helpful information about this condition.
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Possible causes and symptoms of sciatica pain
There are several causes of sciatica pain. It could be from something as mundane as sitting on your wallet, to something as complex as spinal disc degeneration. Other causes include disc herniation, piriformis syndrome (buttocks muscle spasms), and the narrowing of the lumbar spinal canal. Women also experience sciatica pain because of pregnancy.
As for the symptoms, you know you’re dealing with sciatica pain if you feel discomfort in one side of the buttock, lower back, or leg. Sciatica rarely affects both sides of the body. And people who have sciatica pain describe it as a tingling or burning sensation.
You also know you’re dealing with this particular condition if it gets worse while sitting. It can then turn extremely sharp as you stand or walk.
Sciatica pain sufferers experience numbness and weakness in the affected leg. That, in turn, makes it difficult to move the foot, toes, even the entire leg. The radiating pain usually begins in the lower back, which then shoots down the back of the leg and may even continue into the foot.
Symptoms of sciatica pain are generally similar from one individual to another. What differs, however, is the severity and presentation. The symptoms may vary daily and may be infrequent or constant and incapacitating.
Natural Ways to Relieve Sciatica Pain
There are several ways to alleviate sciatica pain once it develops. The good news is it doesn’t always have to be medicated.
One natural form of relief is doing yoga or any proper stretching. Yoga is specifically helpful in developing flexibility and strengthening the back. Put a focus on the piriformis muscle, which is beneficial for sciatica sufferers.
Keeping a sedentary lifestyle may cause the muscles to shorten, which leads to overall stiffness and pain. Combat these symptoms by being more active and moving daily if you can. Not only will it alleviate your pain, but it also improves your overall health.
A healthy lifestyle also reduces the inflammation brought on by this disorder. Apart from regular exercise, include proper diet and an ample amount of sleep into the equation. If you’re a smoker, it would be best to quit.
The real origin of sciatica pain
It’s easy to conclude that sciatica pain originates from the lower back, but that is not always the case. To understand this better, we’ll explain how the spine works.
A set of joints connect the spinal vertebrae from top to bottom. The spine also consists of soft tissues, including muscles, tendons, and ligaments, which travel down the length of your back.
Think of it as links in a chain. If one link happens to misalign or weaken, the entire structure gets compromised.
The most mobile section of the spine is the neck, particularly the uppermost vertebra. Referred to in medical terms as the atlas, it the bone that enables most of the head’s movement. And because of its more unrestricted nature, it is more susceptible to misalignment.
Atlas misalignments usually happen because of injuries from accidents, slips, or contact from playing sports. Wear and tear may also occur over time.
Once the head moves out of position due to an atlas misalignment, both the shoulders and hips compensate, putting imbalanced pressure on one side of the back. As a result, the lower back can put pressure on the sciatic nerve even though the root cause is a misaligned vertebra at the top of the spine.
Upper cervical chiropractors in Monmouth relieves sciatica
It’s easy to turn to medications once sciatica pain starts, but that provides only temporary relief. It does not get to the root of the problem in many cases.
An improperly positioned atlas may affect the lower back and its ability to function. It can also lead to the onset of sciatica symptoms, especially when left untreated.
Correcting atlas misalignments through upper cervical chiropractic care is one option you can take. Here at Upper Cervical of Monmouth, we use gentle and precise methods to encourage the atlas to shift back to its normal position. Each adjustment method specifically caters to the individual, whatever type of pain they’re dealing with.
Our patients report positive feedback after receiving our care. Their bodies eventually heal after restoring balance to their hips and shoulders. The pressure is relieved from their middle and lower back.
If you’re looking for upper cervical chiropractors in Monmouth, you now know where to go. Contact us to find out more about what we can do to help your condition. Drop us a line at (732) 617-9355 or send us an email at dra@getwellnj.com.
To schedule a consultation with the Upper Cervical Chiropractic of Monmouth clinic, call 732-617-9355 or just click the button below.
If you are outside of the local area you can find an Upper Cervical Doctor near you at www.uppercervicalawareness.com.
