Sciatica is a painful condition related to inflammation or irritation of a nerve near the spine. Approximately 5% of people experiencing back pain also suffer from sciatica. The pain of sciatica may increase if a person:
- Sits for long periods of time
- Walks
- Climbs stairs
- Squats
Sciatica generally only affects one leg. The symptoms are varied, however. Some of them include a feeling of:
- Pins and needles
- Stabbing, searing pain
- Aching
A temporary way to alleviate some of the pain is by standing and stretching. Medical doctors will generally suggest corticosteroid injections, anti-inflammatory drugs, and even surgery in severe cases. While these things may help control some of the symptoms, they do not address the root cause. Therefore, sciatica will likely return.
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Sciatica Caused by Improper Neck Alignment
It may seem odd to say that a problem in the lower back comes from the neck. Let’s take a look at how the body works in order to understand why this can be true.
The spinal cord is responsible for sending signals to and from the brain and body. A number of nerves branch off of the spinal cord that is protected by the spinal column. If the top bone of the neck—the C1 vertebrae also called the atlas—is out of alignment, it creates stress or tension within the spinal cord. When tension exists here, improper signals are sent to the brain that lead to postural imbalance, muscles spasms, and pain.
Postural imbalance causes the body to compensate, irritates the nerves, and can cause inflammation leading to sciatica. When muscles on one side of the body become tense, one hip can become higher than the other making one leg shorter. This is the perfect situation for sciatica to occur.
Sciatic Improved by Upper Cervical Chiropractic
In one study, a 45-year-old woman was experiencing sciatica in both legs. She sought the care of an upper cervical chiropractor. After one month of specific adjustments to her atlas, the sciatica in the left leg went away. Her right leg pain had improved by 60%. After 6 months of care, her pain had decreased by 98%! This is the care we seek to provide at Hejny Chiropractic.
To schedule a complimentary consultation with Dr. Hejny, call our Spring Lake Park office at 763-230-0116. 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.