WHAT EXACTLY IS SCIATICA?
Sciatica is the inflammation of the sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve is the largest and longest nerve in the entire body. It extends from the spinal cord all the way down the legs to the feet and toes. The sciatic nerve helps you to “run for the bus” and “wiggle your toes in the sand”.
It is easy to understand that the inflammation of a nerve system that covers such a large area of the body can cause an extreme amount of pain and discomfort.
Normally, Sciatica affects only one side of the body. Pain often radiates down the buttock or leg and can range from a tingling sensation to an excruciating, burning, shooting pain that makes standing almost impossible.
A common cause of Sciatica is the misalignment of the spinal bones in the low back or pelvis. This condition is called a “vertebral subluxation.”
In the past, long periods of “bed rest” were commonly prescribed as the treatment for Sciatica. Recent studies have confirmed that lengthy bed rest is not only a waste of time and may even interfere with healing.
Another common treatment for Sciatica has been “epidural injections” of a corticosteroid. For Sciatica sufferers, not only are these injections painful, a recent study in Germany has shown patients receiving the injections failed to improve any faster than patients who didn’t receive the injections.
What is the answer for patients of this painful ailment? According to the U.S. Agency for Health Care Policy and Research guidelines, “… relief of discomfort can be accomplished most safely…” with chiropractic adjustments. Regardless of what you may have been told in the past, you may not have to “live with it.”
Correction of the cause of Sciatica may be as close as a call to your chiropractor’s office.