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How Can a Chiropractor Help with Sciatica?

A woman holding her back in pain | Best chiropractor in Ann Arbor

Do you feel a sharp pain in your legs, hips, or lower back?

Can’t get the pain to go away?

You may have sciatica. Sciatica describes pain or discomfort that comes from the sciatic nerve, the largest nerve in your body. The sciatic nerve begins at your lower back, travels down through the hips, rear, and each leg. The pain can vary, ranging from mild pain to sharp jolts and can include sensations such as burning, numbness, and tingling. Typically, sciatica only affects one side of the body.

What causes sciatica?

A herniated disc or bone spur on the vertebrae are the most common causes of sciatica. To have a herniated disc means that the rubbery disc that sits between the vertebrae in your spine has been damaged. The disc is made up of a tough perimeter with a soft middle. The soft portion breaks through the tougher layer and presses up against the sciatic nerve, causing pain. In the case of bone spurs, a bony projection grows where your bones meet in a joint, such as the facet joints of the spine. These spurs can also rub up against the sciatic nerve. Herniated discs and bone spurs can occur in anyone, but usually occur in people between ages 35-50. 

Stress and misalignment of the spine can also lead to sciatica. Moving incorrectly, harsh physical labor, a sedentary lifestyle, and excess weight could cause you to experience sciatica. Sciatica pain can come and go, but treatment should not be put off. If left untreated, sciatica can lead to chronic pain and muscle weakness.

How can sciatica be treated?

A chiropractor can adjust the spine, reduce the spine’s stress, and pinpoint any imbalances that could be causing you pain. Dr. Thatcher will start by using the MyoVision scanner to do a surface EMG. This scan shows the main areas of stress on your spine and where Dr. Thatcher will focus. Dr. Thatcher will then correct any misalignment in a non-invasive way by using an activator tool to gently adjust the vertebrae. Depending on your unique situation and level of pain, you may need multiple sessions to relieve your sciatica pain.

Dr. Thatcher can also teach you some exercises to keep pain away, such as the piriformis stretch, which can help stretch muscles that may come in contact with the sciatic nerve. You’ll also want to stay active because prolonged sitting or a sedentary lifestyle can aggravate your symptoms.

Relieve Your Sciatica at the Best Chiropractor in Ann Arbor 

If you’d like to end the shooting pain of sciatica, call Thatcher Chiropractic & Laser today! Our patients call us the best chiropractor in Ann Arbor for a reason.

“I have been going to Dr. Thatcher for many, many years and whenever I leave his office, I feel like a new person. I would recommend anyone looking for a top-notch chiropractor to try Dr. Thatcher. You will not be sorry.”

See more reviews here.

Contact us today to schedule your first visit.