What Is Sciatica? Causes, Symptoms & How Chiropractic Care Can Help In South Amboy NJ

If you’ve been diagnosed with sciatica or believe you suffer from it, you may be frustrated that it never seems to get better. This blog post explains exactly what sciatica is and what causes it.

We also explore how chiropractic care in South Amboy NJ is a non-surgical treatment that can provide natural relief for sciatic nerve pain. You don’t need to endure the pain of sciatica when you have safe, holistic options right here in Middlesex County, NJ.

What Is Sciatica?

“What is sciatica?” is a question we hear frequently from patients. It’s actually not a diagnosis itself. Rather, it’s a symptom of various underlying conditions. You will get better relief from your sciatica once the root cause is determined and treated.

Sciatica is pain that radiates along the sciatic nerve. This is the longest nerve in the body, traveling from the lower back through the hips, buttocks, and legs.

What Are the Causes of Sciatica In South Amboy NJ?

What triggers sciatica? Can sitting too long cause sciatica? Those are two other questions we frequently get from patients.

Yes, prolonged sitting, whether at a desk or behind the wheel, can cause sciatica. Poor work ergonomics, or how your workstation is set up, can also cause or exacerbate sciatica.

Other causes include:

• Herniated or bulging discs: the cushions between the vertebrae of your spine
• Spinal stenosis: a narrowing within the spinal column
• Piriformis syndrome: inflammation of the piriformis muscle in the buttocks that runs between the base of the spine (sacrum) and the greater trochanter of the thigh bone (femur) at the hip
• Degenerative disc disease: arthritis of the discs in the spinal column
• Poor posture and spinal misalignment: slouching, pelvic tilt, scoliosis, etc.

Heavy lifting can also cause or irritate sciatica, especially if done routinely. It doesn’t have to involve manual labor; you might have sciatica from constantly picking up your growing toddler.

Common Symptoms of Sciatica

Sciatica symptoms can come and go, or they can be constantly present. Sometimes they get worse with certain activities or positions. Some people find sleep difficult with sciatica if their sleeping positions put pressure on the nerve.

How do you know if you likely have sciatica? You’ll notice these symptoms:

• Sharp, shooting pain from the lower back down one leg
• Numbness, tingling, or weakness in the leg or foot
• Pain that worsens when sitting, coughing, or sneezing
• Burning or electric shock-like sensations in the affected leg

While it is possible to have sciatica in both legs, it’s most commonly worse in one leg.

How Chiropractic Care Can Help

If you’ve had sciatica for a while, you’ve probably tried multiple treatments, such as:

• Massage therapy
• Over-the-counter medications
• Prescription drugs
• TENS unit
• Supportive seat cushions
• Mattress toppers

You might have even contemplated surgery, which is a major step. It’s costly, and there are risks associated with anesthesia and incision site infection. The downtime can be onerous, with no guarantee of success in the end.

Can a chiropractor help with sciatica pain? If you haven’t tried chiropractic care for sciatica yet, you’ll be pleasantly surprised. While the treatments listed above may provide some temporary relief, they don’t address the underlying condition causing your sciatica. And some treatments, like pharmaceutical solutions, merely mask the pain while exposing you to potential harmful side effects.

Is chiropractic treatment safe for sciatica? Chiropractic care offers sciatic nerve treatment without surgery and without the risk of drugs. It gets at the root cause of your sciatica through the methods below.

• Spinal Adjustments: Chiropractic uses gentle spinal adjustments to relieve pressure on the sciatic nerve. It corrects misalignments and improves posture for effects that benefit the entire body, not just the sciatic nerve.
• Posture Correction and Ergonomics: At Lenahan Chiropractic, we make posture correction the center of our treatments. This is because proper posture is a key to overall wellness. We help patients improve posture in their daily activities, whether that’s sitting at a desk or performing standing tasks. Our website, PostureForLife.com, provides ongoing resources to support this.
• Stretching and Strengthening Exercises: A customized movement plan may be part of your treatment program. This not only helps with reducing pain right away, but it can also prevent future flare-ups.
• Ongoing Wellness and Prevention: We encourage routine chiropractic visits to help maintain proper spinal health and reduce the risk of a recurrence of sciatica. Plus, this helps with whole-body wellness, not just taking care of your sciatic nerve.

What to Expect During Chiropractic Treatment for Sciatica

We take a four-pronged approach to sciatica treatment:

1. Initial consultation and posture/spine evaluation to determine what’s actually causing your sciatica
2. Personalized treatment plan tailored to the root cause of your unique sciatic pain
3. Gentle, controlled spinal adjustments and at-home care recommendations, including posture awareness
4. Focus on long-term recovery and prevention with regular chiropractic checkups to maintain progress

Schedule a Free Chiropractic Consultation for Your Sciatica

Have you been suffering from sciatica? Do you have the symptoms of sciatica and wonder if that’s what’s causing your pain?

We invite you to schedule a free consultation with Lenahan Chiropractic to evaluate your symptoms. We make it easy to treat your sciatica with:

• Easy online appointment booking
• Same-day appointment availability
• Support for out-of-network insurance benefits
• Assistance with submitting your insurance claim
• Accessible clinic location in South Amboy

The sooner you get started, the sooner you can say goodbye to sciatica pain. Reach out today!