Chiropractic Treatment for Sciatica in Franklin, TN
The sciatic nerve is the largest in the whole body. Made up of five different nerves, it runs from the sacrum down the legs into the feet and toes. It is critical to function, controlling the mobility of the thighs, legs, and feet.
30 to 60-year-olds are most commonly affected by sciatica, though a survey found that 20% of college-aged adults experience back pain due to sciatic dysfunction. People who sit for long periods at a time, are overweight, have diabetes, or do lots of bending over and lifting are most at risk.
Sciatica pain occurs when there is compression of the sciatic nerve. It can manifest in numerous ways, but mainly through numbness, tingling, weakness, shooting pain, or burning down the leg into the feet and toes.
Acute sciatica pops up after an active injury or problem has just begun. It is typically sharp and intense due to inflammation and swelling affecting the sciatic nerve. To prevent sciatica from becoming chronic, it is vital to get it addressed by a chiropractor as soon as possible. Chronic sciatica refers to sciatic pain that takes longer to improve, but sciatica relief is possible if you find and stick to the proper care regimen.
Chiropractic helps get to the root cause of the pain, whether it be from a disc injury, muscle strain, or spinal subluxation. Some people just live with pain thinking it is “normal”, but it is not. Our bodies are trying to heal, so getting proper care as quickly as possible is vital to prevent the issue from becoming chronic.
How We Treat Sciatica in Franklin, TN
Comprehensive Exam
One of the first things we do at Mission Health Center is to meet with you to discuss your case and get to know your story. This will help us identify the root cause of your sciatica pain and establish the appropriate goals for your case. Once we have reviewed your case, we will determine if an examination is warranted. Our comprehensive examination includes specific chiropractic function, orthopedic, and neurological tests performed to help us understand and get to the root cause.
Specific Chiropractic Care
When a spinal vertebra jars out of its correct position, it can cause pressure on that nerve, called a subluxation. Chiropractors are experts at finding and correcting those spinal misalignments that can cause nerve irritation and swelling. That pressure on the sciatic nerve can be debilitating. However, through specific adjustments, we can alleviate that pressure which will help reduce the pain and allow your body to heal.
Since multiple factors can cause sciatica, we will make a custom plan for you to follow. You must have patience as it can take time for your body to adapt to a new pattern, especially if it has been an issue for a while.
Spinal Decompression
Traction or spinal decompression is a common method for treating sciatic pain. If the discs are herniated or have degeneration, decompression is one of the best things to help alleviate that discomfort. When the doctors stretch the lumbar spine, the negative pressure causes the disc material to return to its normal state, sandwiched between the vertebrae instead of near the nerve. If the spacing between your discs is uneven due to degeneration, the nerve can only run in a small space and can lead to further compression of the joints. Decompressing those vertebrae helps create more space so the nerve can function as it needs to.
Custom Therapeutic Exercise Plan
At Mission Health Center, we understand the importance of stretching and strengthening your muscles to keep them stable and mobile. You must perform exercises in a balanced way so your spine can move freely with less risk for subluxation. If one side pulls on the spine more than the other, we must train the muscles to be balanced, especially in the lumbar spine when dealing with sciatica.
Exercise plays a crucial role in your healing. Chiropractors can only do so much if you do not have the muscle structure to hold your adjustment. It is important to continue strengthening and stretching every day to help build resilience and get relief if your sciatic nerve becomes an issue.
Consistency is key! We have you do a combination of mobility stretches in our office and will send you home with a plan to perform so you can get better faster with lasting results. We believe in working with you as a team to reduce the symptoms and pain you are experiencing.
Nutrition and Supplements
We all know that consuming a diet high in processed foods and excess sugars can cause high levels of inflammation in the body, making your muscles more susceptible to pain and injury. Sciatica means your SI joint is inflamed already, so it is vital to reduce any additional inflammation you have control over…a.k.a your diet!
Some of the common foods that induce inflammation are:
- Chemically sprayed produce
- Alcohol
- Packaged snacks
- Excess sugar
- Processed meats
- Conventional dairy
Consuming a nutrient-dense diet, including anti-inflammatory foods, is vital for decreasing inflammation and improving your body’s ability to heal from the inside out. Eating in a sustainable way that becomes part of your lifestyle is essential for maintaining your health and not returning to an inflamed state.
Some of the best anti-inflammatory foods that can help reduce inflammation in your sciatic nerve are:
- Vegetables (dark, leafy green veggies are most beneficial, like romaine, kale, or swiss chard)
- Organic fruits
- Healthy fats such as coconut oil, nuts, avocados, and grass-fed butter
- Clean meats
Collagen, most commonly found in bone broth, is one of the building blocks for your joints and ligaments, so ensuring you get enough is important for reducing SI pain. Also, including foods high in omega-3 like flaxseed, chia seed, or grass-fed beef can help support tissue repair.
A few great supplements to help decrease inflammation and reduce sciatic pain are:
- Turmeric
- Collagen
- Ginger
- Omega-3
- Bromelain
Common Causes of Sciatica
Bulging Disc
A bulged disc in the lower back is one of the most common causes of sciatic pain. The spinal disc is a shock absorber-like cushion between each vertebra, similar to a jelly doughnut. The external disc fibers are like the dough, and the gelatinous interior is like the doughnut jelly.
Over time and with use, the discs can wear down and dehydrate. If that occurs, the fibers begin to tear, especially if you have had an injury, lifted something incorrectly, or got into a motor vehicle accident. Once those fibers tear enough, the jelly-like substance takes the path of least resistance and moves toward the outside of the disc, creating a bulge. That bulge puts pressure on the nerves that travel down the spine, into your lower back, and can radiate into your legs and feet.
Herniated Disc
Another common cause of sciatica is a herniated disc in the lumbar spine, a more severe progression of a bulging disc. If the external fibers tear enough, the jelly-like middle can break through the disc’s exterior and sit on the nerve ending. Herniated discs tend to create more intense leg pain, then move to the lower back. If the disc ruptures, the gelatinous substance seeps out and sits on the nerve. This may relieve pressure on the low back, but it triggers pain into the legs.
Phagocytosis is a natural way that your body tries to resolve a herniated disc issue. It happens when your body sees the jelly-like middle as a foreign object, so it will inflame to try to help eat up that jelly and absorb it. If that does not work, it can create pain that is typically bad enough to cause people to start to look into surgery. We try to treat herniated discs naturally, but after a certain course of treatment, surgery may be the only option. So do not wait to look into it!
Degenerative Disc Disease
Degenerative disc disease is another cause of sciatica and is directly related to the breakdown of the discs as they age. Things like obesity, smoking, and strenuous work can also contribute to this disease. Naturally, our spinal discs lose their height, growing smaller as we age. A fully hydrated disc has good form and creates the proper openings for the nerves to emerge from the spine and travel throughout the body. When the disc begins to shrink, the foramen (the holes that the nerves come out of) start to get smaller and irritate the nerves. This is what causes the lumbar pain and potential radiating pain.
Degeneration cannot be reserved, but it can be slowed and managed so you can continue to have a higher quality of life. Chiropractic adjustments and decompression are vital for maintaining the health of your disc height and space for your nerves. Getting treatment as soon as possible when dealing with sciatica is essential.
Spinal Stenosis
Widespread degeneration and the shrinking of the spinal canal itself is known as spinal stenosis. The narrowing of that pathway puts more pressure on your spinal cord and can cause sciatica. It can also affect other major organs like your bladder or bowel function. Daily activities like standing or walking can be very painful while sitting, and relieving pressure on the sciatic nerve helps.
Muscle Strains or Spasms
Muscular dysfunction is another common cause of sciatic pain since many muscles surround the lumbar spine and pelvic area. These muscles are attached to your spine and if there is an imbalance, sudden activities, repetitive motions, poor posture, or a weak core can occur. 15-30% of low back pain cases are due to muscle strains.
One muscle directly related to sciatica is the piriformis. It travels from your buttock to the hip and down the legs, close to the sciatic nerve. If the piriformis is irritated, it can cause inflammation and pain triggering sciatica.
Subluxation
Subluxation is dysfunction or misalignment in the spine, creating pressure on the nerves. That nerve irritation triggers the symptoms of sciatic pain. Subluxation is the dysfunction chiropractors are skilled at identifying and correcting. Specific chiropractic adjustments are the only solution in treating a subluxation, and we aim to get to the root cause of your problem. You can do all the stretches or exercises, but if a vertebra is misaligned or not moving correctly, your issues will not resolve.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I seek out a medical or chiropractic doctor for sciatica?
Seeing a chiropractor first would be most beneficial to determine your options. Adjustments, lumbar decompression, exercise, stretches, and massage are great places to start and help you avoid traditional medical treatments like injections or medications that only mask the root cause. You should explore a holistic approach, leaving surgery as a last resort.
What is the best method for combating sciatica?
Chiropractic helps address the root cause of your symptom versus masking them. At Mission Health Center, we can aid your body in healing as it relates to disc, nerve, bone, or muscle issues.
How should I sleep with sciatic pain?
Keeping a cushion underneath your knees will help alleviate nerve compression. Slightly bending your knees lessens the tension. If you are a side sleeper, keep a pillow between your knees.
Do stretching and exercise worsen the pain?
Staying active and stretching are advised to keep your joints mobile and speed recovery. By building your muscle strength, you increase your flexibility and can avoid future episodes. Use your best judgment and avoid activities that make the pain worse.
How can I lessen the sciatic pain?
There are various things you can do, like stretching and exercising, but something else that can help bring relief is heat therapy. A heating pad or warm water bottle helps increase blood flow and relieve muscle tension. You should only do this in chronic sciatica cases.