About Us | ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA

Sciatica  refers to sensations of tingling, numbness, or weakness that originate in the lower back and travel through the buttock and down the large sciatic nerve in the back of each leg. It is a symptom of an underlying condition; not a diagnosis in and of itself. A number of common lower back problems can cause sciatica including a lumbar herniated disc, degenerative disc disease, sacroiliac joint dysfunction, pregnancy, spinal tumor, infection, muscle strain, and a number of other conditions.

Your doctor’s approach to treating sciatica will depend on the underlying cause. In most cases, it is more likely to be successful when the focus is on restoring balanced function in the entire body—starting from the ground up—rather than simply reducing the pain and inflammation in the irritated tissues.

Your Chiropractor is likely to use a combination of techniques to help your condition. These may include heat or ice. Most people use ice first, 20 minutes a day in the affected area, but some find more relief with heat. The two may be alternated. Because of the many conditions that can compress nerve roots and cause sciatica, treatment will differ between one patient with sciatica and another. Spinal adjustments focus on providing better spinal column alignment, which in turn is designed to help address a number of underlying conditions that can cause sciatic nerve pain. Other modalities may include acupuncture and Massage therapy. Custom orthotics can provide additional support, stability, and shock absorption from the ground