When it comes to back pain, which affects nearly 40% of adults in the United States, there are many potential culprits. One of the most common, and painful, is sciatica, which is a nerve entrapment issue that can lead to low back pain, as well as pain that shoots into your leg.
For anyone who has had sciatica, relief is a top priority, as sciatica pain can make even a sneeze a source of agony.
At Neuropathy & Pain Centers of Texas, our team has a good deal of experience helping patients to navigate the uncomfortable world of sciatica. Here, we look at 3 treatment options that can put that spring back in your step as you leave the pain behind.
One of the most common reasons why people develop sciatica is due to poor disc health — a condition we call degenerative disc disease. When a disc loses moisture and strength, it can flatten and become more vulnerable to herniation and/or bulging.
When disc materials escape their space in your lumbar spine, they can compress the sciatic nerve in your low back, which is what leads to the local and radiating pain.
To restore disc health, we’re equipped with advanced laser technologies, including the M6 MLS® robotic laser and a cold laser system. These systems rely on specific wavelengths of light energy to encourage faster healing in your disc at the same time as the laser treatments reduce the pain and inflammation.
Another great approach for sciatica is to realign your spine through chiropractic care. At the heart of chiropractic care is the belief that your body functions best when your spine is properly aligned.
When you develop sciatica, this is often a sign of misalignment in your spine that places more pressure on your discs.
Through chiropractic care, we manipulate your spine to free up space around your discs so your spine can heal and stop irritating your sciatic nerve.
Your spine is hardly a solo act — it relies on some very strong core muscles for support. If these muscles are weak, it can lead to faster degeneration in your discs and issues like sciatica.
With this in mind, we’ve found that one of the most effective treatments for sciatica is physical therapy (PT). Through targeted strengthening and stretching exercises, you can relieve the pressure on your sciatic nerve and strengthen your back muscles so that the condition is less likely to recur.
In many cases, we recommend a combination of these treatments to achieve meaningful and long-term relief from painful sciatica.
To figure out which sciatica treatments are right for you, call or message us today at one of our offices in Waco, Arlington, Wichita Falls, and Fort Worth, Texas, to set up an appointment.
