How Can Your Chiropractor Treat Sciatic Pain?

Posted on: 8 April 2019

If you suffer from sciatic pain, you know that the aching and pins-and-needles pain in your lower back and hips can be debilitating. Taking pain relievers helps, but only in the short-term. Stretching on your own may provide some relief, but not a lot. A good alternative is to visit the chiropractor. There are a number of treatments they can use to relieve pressure on your sciatic nerve and help ease your symptoms over time.

1. Spinal adjustments

This is the heart and soul of chiropractic care; your chiropractor will adjust your spine, making sure all of your vertebrae are in alignment. If one or more of your vertebrae were previously out of place, it could have been putting pressure on your sciatic nerve. The misaligned vertebrae could also have been causing swelling in and around your spine, and those swollen tissues could have been placing pressure on your sciatic nerve. An adjustment only takes a few minutes, and most patients find that it provides a nearly instant sensation of relief. However, as muscles like to pull your spine back out of alignment, especially as it has been that way for a while, you will need to visit the chiropractor for regular adjustments to keep everything in place.

2. Ultrasound therapy

Your chiropractor may also use an ultrasound device to send soundwaves through your back in the area around your sciatic nerve. You won't feel anything during the treatment except maybe a slight sense of warmth, but the sound waves will penetrate the tissues and increase circulation to the injured area. Cramping and swelling will dissipate in the hours after treatment.

3. TENS therapy

TENS therapy is similar to ultrasound therapy, but it uses electrical stimulation rather than sound waves. Don't worry — the machine won't shock you. It does, however, deliver smaller electromagnetic impulses that help stimulate your muscles and alleviate spasms. If TENS works well for you, your chiropractor might recommend that you buy a TENS device for use at home between appointments. They are pretty easy to come by, although you may need someone to help you apply the therapy to your back.

Even if you are already seeing a doctor for your sciatica, adding chiropractic care to your routine can really help. Chiropractic care is compatible with medications you may already be taking; it is a safe, natural approach that aims at treating the root cause of sciatica and not just the symptoms. 

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