Sciatica: What Is It & What Gets Rid of It?

El Paso, TX. Chiropractor Dr. Alex Jimenez takes a look at sciatica.

The pain shoots down your leg—burning, tingling, almost electric. Anyone who’s felt it knows that this is the hallmark symptom of sciatica. But did you know that there’s more to sciatica than just leg pain? And what about the best treatment—should you get plenty of rest or join boot camp? Get the answers with this slideshow. It’s your quick reference for all things sciatica—from what causes it to how to get rid of it.

Get the Answers to All Your Sciatica Questions

So What Exactly Is Sciatica?

Sciatica Isn’t A Condition, Disorder or Disease. Though the pain may certainly warrant such a title. Sciatica is actually a group of symptoms. It involves the sciatic nerve, which is the longest and largest nerve in your body. The sciatic nerve is made from several nerve roots in your spine that merge and travel through your buttocks. It then extends down to your knee, where smaller nerves branch out from it and travel to your feet. Sciatica occurs when the sciatic nerve is compressed or aggravated in some way. So what causes that? Read on to learn more.

I Have Sciatica—But How Did It Happen?

Have You Done A Lot Of Heavy Lifting Lately? Perhaps with poor posture? Heavy lifting can cause a disc in your low back to bulge or herniate, and that can pinch your sciatic nerve. Lumbar herniated discs are the most common cause of sciatica. Herniated discs aren’t caused only by heavy lifting—the effects of aging on your spine can also cause herniated discs. Though a herniated disc is the most common sciatica cause, it isn’t the only one. Spinal stenosis, injury or trauma, and even pregnancy are other common culprits.

What Does Sciatica Feel Like?

You likely understand the pain of sciatica it can shoot from your low back down your legs, sometimes into your feet. Burning, numbness, and tingling are also common sciatica symptoms. You may find that sitting or walking can become painful chores—and even a cough or sneeze can cause your pain to flare up.

Where Does It Hurt?

Sciatica affects people in different ways depending on the root cause. Some have pain in their feet, while others have intense pain above the knee. That’s why you should not only pay special attention to what your symptoms are but also where they are. This will help your doctor understand what’s causing your sciatica and, in turn, recommend the best treatment.

Medications

In some cases, the only thing you need to reduce your sciatica pain is time and over-the-counter medication. To help reduce inflammation and pain, you’ll want to choose non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Advil and Aleve are brand name examples of NSAIDs. You can also try alternating heat and cold packs.

Treating Sciatica Pain

How Do I Treat Sciatica at Home? Stay Active

Bed rest might be best for a cold, but it won’t treat your sciatica any faster. In fact, it might slow down the healing process. Most studies support staying active with mild exercise. This doesn’t mean you should spend hours in a gym—that would only aggravate your sciatica. Think gentle stretches and soothing movements. Need a place to start? Watch our sciatica exercise video series.

What if At-home Treatments Don’t Work?

You should talk to your doctor. He or she may recommend prescription medications or epidural steroid injections to reduce pain and inflammation. Or you may want to consult with a chiropractor or physical therapist. These professionals use specific therapies and techniques to reduce your sciatica pain.

Should I Be Thinking about Surgery?

But if your pain just won’t go away—even after using a number of non-surgical treatments—then spine surgery might be the best option for you. Having surgery for sciatica is a big deal, so make sure you gather as much information as possible on your procedure and don’t be afraid to ask your doctor questions.

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Professional Scope of Practice *

The information herein on "Sciatica: What Is It & What Gets Rid of It?" is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional or licensed physician and is not medical advice. We encourage you to make healthcare decisions based on your research and partnership with a qualified healthcare professional.

Blog Information & Scope Discussions

Our information scope is limited to Chiropractic, musculoskeletal, physical medicines, wellness, contributing etiological viscerosomatic disturbances within clinical presentations, associated somatovisceral reflex clinical dynamics, subluxation complexes, sensitive health issues, and/or functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions.

We provide and present clinical collaboration with specialists from various disciplines. Each specialist is governed by their professional scope of practice and their jurisdiction of licensure. We use functional health & wellness protocols to treat and support care for the injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system.

Our videos, posts, topics, subjects, and insights cover clinical matters, issues, and topics that relate to and directly or indirectly support our clinical scope of practice.*

Our office has reasonably attempted to provide supportive citations and has identified the relevant research study or studies supporting our posts. We provide copies of supporting research studies available to regulatory boards and the public upon request.

We understand that we cover matters that require an additional explanation of how it may assist in a particular care plan or treatment protocol; therefore, to further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez, DC, or contact us at 915-850-0900.

We are here to help you and your family.

Blessings

Dr. Alex Jimenez DC, MSACP, RN*, CCST, IFMCP*, CIFM*, ATN*

email: coach@elpasofunctionalmedicine.com

Licensed as a Doctor of Chiropractic (DC) in Texas & New Mexico*
Texas DC License # TX5807, New Mexico DC License # NM-DC2182

Licensed as a Registered Nurse (RN*) in Florida
Florida License RN License # RN9617241 (Control No. 3558029)
Compact Status: Multi-State License: Authorized to Practice in 40 States*

Presently Matriculated: ICHS: MSN* FNP (Family Nurse Practitioner Program)

Dr. Alex Jimenez DC, MSACP, RN* CIFM*, IFMCP*, ATN*, CCST
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Dr. Alex Jimenez

Specialties: Stopping the PAIN! We Specialize in Treating Severe Sciatica, Neck-Back Pain, Whiplash, Headaches, Knee Injuries, Sports Injuries, Dizziness, Poor Sleep, Arthritis. We use advanced proven therapies focused on optimal mobility, posture control, health Instruction, functional fitness, and structural conditioning. In addition, we use effective "Patient Focused Diet Plans," Specialized Chiropractic Techniques, Mobility-Agility Training, Cross-Fit Protocols, and the Premier "PUSH Functional Fitness System" to treat patients suffering from various injuries and health problems. Ultimately, I am here to serve my patients and community as a Chiropractor, passionately restoring functional life and facilitating living through increased mobility.

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