Waltham Chiropractic Health Center

What is the chiropractic approach to chronic pain and sciatica?

Chiropractors correct poor spinal alignment using spinal adjustments to relieve irritation to the spinal nerves, joints and discs. Rather than a disease oriented approach that asks, "How can we get rid of your symptoms?", the doctor of chiropractic asks, "How can we get rid of the problems and make your body stronger so it may heal itself?"

What is the medical approach to chronic pain and sciatica?

The medical approach to sciatica pain is to treat the symptoms using painkillers, muscle relaxers and various orthopedic treatments which may include traction, physical therapy and other therapeutic measures. Sciatica is particularly frustrating to the medical doctor because in many cases even strong pain killing drugs bring little or no relief. However, medical relief may be obtained from injections of painkillers directly into the nerve roots. Drug dependency, however, may develop among some patients.

What is sciatica?

When the sciatic nerve is inflamed, the condition is called sciatica (pronounced SIA'DIKA). Sciatica is usually caused by pressure on the sciatic nerve from a herniated disc (also referred to as a pinched nerve, slipped disk or ruptured disc) in the lumbar spine. Symptoms include low back pain and/or leg pain that usually travels down the large sciatic nerve, from the lower back down the back of each leg. Not all leg pain is sciatica, but most all sciatica involves leg pain.

What is the sciatic nerve?

The sciatic nerve is the longest and largest nerve in the body. It's made up of five nerves that leave the spinal cord from the lower (lumbar) spinal column, join in the pelvic area, and then travel down the leg. As it travels down the leg, it divides into many small nerves that reach the muscles and joints of the thigh, knee, calf, ankle, foot and toes.

What are the symptoms of sciatica?

Sciatica sufferers often have severe pain along the sciatic nerve path usually in the back of the legs and thighs, sometimes to the ankle, foot and toes. There's not only searing, sharp pain, but also parasthesia - strange nerve experiences such as pins and needles, burning, tingling, prickling, crawling sensations, tenderness or even numbness.

Can chiropractic therapy help me avoid back surgery?

Yes, before undergoing back surgery we recommend trying chiropractic therapy. If the back pain or leg pain is not relieved, orthopedic surgery and neuro-surgery may be resorted to as alternative treatments.