El Paso Functional Medicine
I hope you have enjoyed our blog posts on various health, nutritional and injury related topics. Please don't hesitate in calling us or myself if you have questions when the need to seek care arises. Call the office or myself. Office 915-850-0900 - Cell 915-540-8444 Great Regards. Dr. J

6 Safe and Effective Treatments for Sciatica Pain Relief

1,623

As a chiropractor, one of the most common conditions that I see in my office is sciatica. Lower back pain with radiation into the leg is very common in North America.

In fact, just last week, I had a patient come into my office in such excruciating pain that he actually had to crawl through the hallway on his hands and knees.

What exactly causes Sciatica and how can we get rid of it? We must begin by understanding the meaning of the word sciatica.

What Your Sciatica Pain Really Means

Sciatica is a term that describes symptoms of pain that begin in the lower back and extend down through the buttock, thigh, and into the lower leg and foot. These symptoms can occur when a nerve or nerve root is compressed or pinched in the lower back leading to the sensation of pain, numbness, and weakness in the leg. There are multiple locations where the nerve or nerve root can be pinched.

The most common cause of sciatica is lumbar disc herniation. Repeated mechanical stress to a spinal disc can cause the outer layers of the disc to tear and allows the inner substance to herniate, or push its way out of its enclosed space.

Lumbar disc herniation occurs most commonly at the weakest point of the disc, which is the area where the nerve root exits from the spinal canal. When a disc herniates in this location, it often directly contacts the nerve root which is exiting through the space, thus activating the nerve and causing the feeling of numbness and pain radiating into the leg.

There are other conditions which can mimic the effects of a lumbar disc herniation including degenerative disc disease and piriformis syndrome, a condition in which the piriformis muscle becomes tight and compresses the sciatic nerve as it passes through the gluteal region.

Treatments for Sciatica Pain Relief?

All health care professionals agree that conservative care should be performed first and that surgery is a last resort for this issue. This is where health care professionals like chiropractors and physiotherapists come in.

1. Heat/Ice Therapy

In the early stages, using heat packs or ice packs for sciatica pain relief may also help reduce inflammation at the source of the problem. Heat helps to loosen muscles while ice helps to reduce inflammation and swelling.

2. Chiropractic Care and Physiotherapy

Both chiropractors and physiotherapists use a range of treatments to offer sciatica pain relief and promote proper motion. These can include electrotherapy, ultrasound and other modalities, soft tissue therapy, exercises, joint mobilization, and manipulation. Speak to your health care provider about what treatment is right for you.

3. McKenzie Exercises

 width=

These are sciatica pain relief exercises prescribed by chiropractors and physiotherapists that are effective in decreasing leg pain and centralizing it (that is, bringing it into the lower back). Speak to your physiotherapist before starting this therapy.

4. Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine

I have successfully used acupuncture to significantly reduce sciatica pain symptoms for many of my patients. Acupuncture relies on the use of small needles inserted through the skin and into muscles at specific points along our meridian channels. These needles cause micro trauma to the muscles leading to the release of hormones called endorphins. Endorphins help to calm nerve and muscle pain and reduce symptoms of pain.

5. Lumbar Spine Traction and Decompression Therapy

Some therapists use manual and instrument assisted traction therapy to help spread the lumbar vertebrae and allow disc material to become re-absorbed into the outer disc material. This is a good option to consider if your sciatica pain is not improving with other treatment types.

6. Pain Medications like NSAIDs and Anti-inflammatory Supplements

If nothing else gives you sciatica pain relief, you can talk to your physician about painkillers and anti-inflammatory medications to help temporarily reduce the pain and inflammation. However, these medications have been linked to heart problems and should be used with caution.

Anti-inflammatory supplements, like curcumin and fish oil, are great natural alternatives to consider.

These medications can interact with other prescribed medications that you may be taking so make sure to consult with your physician and pharmacist before taking pain killers.

Post Disclaimer

Professional Scope of Practice *

The information herein on "6 Safe and Effective Treatments for Sciatica Pain Relief" is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional or licensed physician and is not medical advice. We encourage you to make healthcare decisions based on your research and partnership with a qualified healthcare professional.

Blog Information & Scope Discussions

Our information scope is limited to Chiropractic, musculoskeletal, physical medicines, wellness, contributing etiological viscerosomatic disturbances within clinical presentations, associated somatovisceral reflex clinical dynamics, subluxation complexes, sensitive health issues, and/or functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions.

We provide and present clinical collaboration with specialists from various disciplines. Each specialist is governed by their professional scope of practice and their jurisdiction of licensure. We use functional health & wellness protocols to treat and support care for the injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system.

Our videos, posts, topics, subjects, and insights cover clinical matters, issues, and topics that relate to and directly or indirectly support our clinical scope of practice.*

Our office has reasonably attempted to provide supportive citations and has identified the relevant research study or studies supporting our posts. We provide copies of supporting research studies available to regulatory boards and the public upon request.

We understand that we cover matters that require an additional explanation of how it may assist in a particular care plan or treatment protocol; therefore, to further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez, DC, or contact us at 915-850-0900.

We are here to help you and your family.

Blessings

Dr. Alex Jimenez DC, MSACP, RN*, CCST, IFMCP*, CIFM*, ATN*

email: coach@elpasofunctionalmedicine.com

Licensed as a Doctor of Chiropractic (DC) in Texas & New Mexico*
Texas DC License # TX5807, New Mexico DC License # NM-DC2182

Licensed as a Registered Nurse (RN*) in Florida
Florida License RN License # RN9617241 (Control No. 3558029)
License Compact Status: Multi-State License: Authorized to Practice in 40 States*
Presently Matriculated: ICHS: MSN* FNP (Family Nurse Practitioner Program)

Dr. Alex Jimenez DC, MSACP, RN* CIFM*, IFMCP*, ATN*, CCST
My Digital Business Card