Have you ever experienced sciatica? Or you’ve never heard of it? Perhaps you experience symptoms such as low back pain, yet you’re unaware if it’s sciatica. Some people seeking low back pain relief in San Diego claim that their pain stems from sciatica, but what is sciatica, and how does it affect you?
Sciatica is a painful and uncomfortable condition that starts in the lower back. If you experience a ruptured or herniated disk, sciatica, you may eventually notice signs of sciatica. Bone spurs and spinal stenosis can also irritate your sciatic nerve and lead to painful sciatica flare-ups. These conditions can put more than usual pressure on your sciatic nerve.
The sciatic nerve is the long nerve that runs from the low back through the hips, butt, and down each leg. If your sciatic nerve gets stressed or compressed, you may experience inflammation, pain, and even numbness in the side of the affected leg. Your front, outside, and back of either leg may hurt, too, with low back pain as one of its common symptoms.
Usually, the pain and discomfort subside within a few weeks without needing any medical procedure. However, in some cases, the pain caused by pressure in the sciatic nerve can progress and become severe. Sciatica generally affects one side of the leg only, though it is not impossible for it to cause discomfort on both sides. Sciatica patients who experience weakness and numbness in some areas of the affected leg or foot tend to worry and explore their options for low back pain relief in San Diego.
Not all sciatica cases stem from what we mentioned above, though. These conditions can potentially irritate the sciatic nerve, too:
Pregnancy
Spondylolisthesis
Pelvic tumors
Piriformis syndrome
Injury or physical trauma
How do you know it’s sciatica?
Some health conditions mimic each other’s symptoms to let you identify if you’re sciatic nerve is irritated or stressed; here are some signs and symptoms:
Discomfort or achiness along the path of the sciatic nerve
Pain from the lower back that radiates down to the buttocks and leg
Pain that ranges between mild and achy to burning, sharp and debilitating
Pain like an electric shock
Symptoms that get worse upon sneezing or coughing, or sitting for an extended period
Muscle weakness, numbness, or tingling
Pain on one side of the body
To learn more about the connection between head and neck injuries and back pain, download our complimentary e-book by clicking the image below.
Natural Sciatica Care: Simple Methods to Alleviate Pain
People with sciatica can follow some easy at-home care to help manage their pain and discomfort. While resting is always a good idea, sciatica patients should know that resting for too long can aggravate their condition. Likewise, choosing to be sedentary can do more harm than good. Instead of refusing movement, here are some ways you can try that can potentially help your sciatica pain:
Cold packs
Once pain manifests, you can try applying ice or cold packs in the affected area for about 20 minutes. You can repeat the procedure for up to three days to help reduce the swelling and feel better. Use a cloth to wrap the cold pack so it won’t directly stick to your skin and feel too cold.
Hot packs
Once you manage and reduce the inflammation, you can apply heat to the painful area. Use a heating pad or hot packs, and ensure you protect your skin with an extra layer of cloth to avoid possible burns. Using heat helps restore the blood flow in the pathway of your sciatic nerve.
Maintain good posture while sitting
Be sure your seat has excellent lower back support, a swivel base, and armrests. Another thing to keep an eye on is the level of your knees and hips. They should be at the same level. You can roll up a towel and put it on your back for support and to maintain the natural curve of your spine.
Stretching
There are gentle stretches you can do that target your lower back specifically. These can help relieve pain and loosen up your compressed nerve roots. Keep in mind to avoid bouncing, jerking, or twisting while stretching. Holding the pose for at least 30 seconds can give you a good stretch.
Exercise regularly
Performing regular exercises and engaging in regular movement can strengthen your body and lower body muscles. Regular exercise can also help regulate blood flow and keep your spine more flexible and reliable.
Maintain proper posture
Being more conscious of your head, neck, and back position can help you avoid pain and possible injury. Maintaining proper posture creates a normal balance in your entire body and relieves it from tension. Incorrect posture can eventually irritate your sciatic nerve so make sure you avoid it or relieve your tense muscles and improve lower body function.
Upper cervical care for sciatica
Another way to get low back pain relief in San Diego is through upper cervical chiropractic adjustments. Sometimes, sciatica stems from a misalignment in the upper cervical spine which can influence the balance and alignment in the rest of your spine. This can influence overall spine health and lead to complications such as pinching or irritating the nerves, in this case, the sciatic nerve.
Upper cervical chiropractic care is a unique technique focusing only on the top two bones of your spine in the neck. Therefore, calculated and gentle chiropractic adjustments are made only in your neck area, and your chiropractic doctor only moves your C1 and C2 vertebrae.
Nimbus Brain & Spine, Your Source of Low Back Pain Relief in San Diego
Ignoring sciatica symptoms and not properly addressing your condition can worsen your condition. You can explore some of the natural ways we mentioned above to help with your pain. But make sure only to seek board-certified chiropractic doctors for upper cervical chiropractic adjustments.
If sciatica is interfering with your life, you can call us at (858) 432-3072 or book an appointment online. Our chiropractic doctor, Dr. Vivek Soham, will ensure you get personalized care that best fits your needs. In addition, he is known for using a safe and gentle NUCCA technique to realign the bones of your neck without force. Let us help you restore the balance and alignment in your body to let it heal naturally.
To schedule a consultation with Dr. Soham, call our San Diego office at (858) 432-3072. You can also click the button below.
If you are outside of the local area, you can find an Upper Cervical Doctor near you at www.uppercervicalawareness.com.
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