Chiropractic Sciatica Relief for Vancouver
Sciatica is an issue for many people in Vancouver. This often painful nerve issue is one of the primary reasons chiropractic care is as successful as it is. Trained chiropractors offer a natural and non-surgical alternative for sciatica relief.
If you find that you are suffering from symptoms that relate to sciatica we invite you to come into our clinic for a consultation.
What is Sciatica?
Sciatica occurs when there is a problem with the sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve runs from the lower back down to the feet and is responsible for providing sensation to the legs, buttocks and lower back. When pressure is placed on the nerve, or it has been injured, a number of different symptoms arise ranging from mildly annoying to severely painful.
What Are the Symptoms of Sciatica?
Here is a list of some of the common warning signs to look out for when it comes to diagnosing sciatica:
- A feeling of numbness, weakness or a prickling sensation down the leg.
- Pain that originates in the lower back or buttocks which continues down the thigh, leg and can end at the foot.
- The pain is often referred to as being searing or sharp.
- The pain can be enough to make it difficult to stand or walk.
- If there is both lower back pain as well as leg pain, the pain in the leg is usually more intense than it is in the lower back.
- For most cases, pain is felt in only one leg rather than both.
Why Does Sciatica Happen?
There are many reasons why a person can develop sciatica. Here are some of the most common reasons we come across when diagnosing our Vancouver patients.
Herniated or bulging disc: The spine is given mobility due to having discs in between each vertebra. These ensure that the individual bones of the spine do not rub against each other. However, these discs can become damaged resulting in herniation or bulging. In short, the discs lose their shape and can press down upon the sciatic nerve.
Trauma: An impact can create compression on the sciatic nerve or can sometimes result in small pieces of bone pressing down on the nerve.
Lumbar spinal stenosis: This condition is normally found in older individuals, where bone, tissue or both grow in such a way that blocks or places pressure on nerve pathways. One of the most common symptoms of sciatica occurs while walking or running and is relieved when a person is sitting.
Spondylolisthesis: Refers to when one of the vertebrae of the spine has moved forward or backwards in comparison to its correct alignment. This is sometimes confused with a ‘slipped disc’ as spondylolisthesis can result in such a condition. However, spondylolisthesis involves a slipped vertebrae and not necessarily a slipped disc. When the vertebra is out of position it can put pressure on the sciatic nerve, leading to sciatica.
Don’t Suffer From Sciatica, Contact a Chiropractor
If you live in or around Vancouver and think that you or someone you know is showing symptoms of sciatica, contact SpineRevive Chiropractic. We will gladly set up a consultation to answer any questions you may have.