What is sciatica? It is a condition involving the sciatic nerve that results in pain in the lower back, backside, or leg. It can cause weakness in the leg and even difficulty moving the foot. Because the nerve runs from the spine and down through the leg on both sides of the body, pain can occur on either side. The location where the nerve is being pinched will determine which side the pain is felt on.
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What Causes Sciatica?
One of the biggest culprits is a disc problem. Also, trauma can result in the nerve being compressed. Pregnancy may place pressure on the sciatic nerve. It has also been noted that obesity can cause pressure on the sciatic nerve. Spinal diseases, conditions that cause inflammation, and cancer may also put pressure on the nerve and cause sciatica.
How Is Sciatica Usually Treated?
Common relief care involve pain medication. NSAIDs (such as ibuprofen) can reduce the swelling while relieving pain. Epidural steroid medications and muscle relaxers may also be prescribed. If the problem is caused by a bulging disc or a tumor, surgery may be recommended to relieve the pressure. However, many prefer a natural relief to all of the side effects related to medications and surgery.
Natural Relief for Sciatica
One way to relieve the symptoms of sciatica is to correct misalignments of the spine that may be leading to disc degeneration or poor posture. Upper cervical chiropractic does this by focusing on the top two vertebrae of the neck. The C1 and C2, or Atlas and Axis, are integral to the proper alignment of the entire back.
When the C1 and C2 are out of alignment, the entire spine will shift to compensate. This can place pressure on the sciatic nerve and cause sciatica. Dr. Mercedes Cook of San Diego, California specializes in caring for this type of misalignment. An examination by Dr. Cook can let you know if you pain is being caused by a misalignment, and a relief program can be set up at your convenience.
To schedule a consultation with Upper Cervical Chiropractic San Diego, call 858-434-5926 or just 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.
