Most people have felt the agony and discomfort of back pain. And while chiropractors treat more than just back pain, most people seek out chiropractors in search of relief from their agonizing back pain. The American Chiropractic Association (ACA) reports over 50 percent of all Americans experience back pain symptoms each year. In fact, it’s one of the number one reasons for missed work. Most instances of back pain are caused by injury or muscle strain and can be alleviated with chiropractic care.

How Chiropractors Treat Back Pain

We will provide you with an adjustment: this is a gentle, non-invasive, and a non-addictive therapy. These adjustments will help to reduce joint restrictions or any misalignments of the spine to help reduce inflammation. This will improve function and mobility of your back and your nervous system. When your joint mobility is improved, your nervous system functions better, giving you a healthy spine. Plus, moving forward, your body will have the ability to better manage any low back pain symptoms.

Chiropractic treatment for back pain involves spinal manipulation. In chiropractic care, quick, strong pressure is applied to a joint between two vertebrae of the spine. When a chiropractor applies this pressure to the spine with his or her hands, the pressure will rotate the joint beyond its normal range of motion. This can cause a popping sound (which is thought to be caused by the breaking of a bubble of synovial fluid, which lubricates the spine). The amount of force applied can differ. Your chiropractor will adjust this based on the form of manipulation he or she uses. The goal of any adjustment is to help you improve your physical functioning and relieve your back pain.

A chiropractor can either manipulate the spine by pushing on the vertebrae or by twisting the upper part of the body. This will be done by positioning the body so the force exerted is focused on one joint while the other parts of the spine are held completely still. These treatments will take anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes, and are repeated two to three times a week until symptoms improve. At that time, your treatments will typically be spread out a bit more (maybe just one or two each week).

Additionally, your chiropractor will work with you on things like posture, other treatments you may want to use in conjunction with chiropractic care, and even exercises and stretches you can do to help keep back pain at bay.

Regular treatments from your chiropractor can help:

• Reduce pain and discomfort in your back
• Decrease inflammation/swelling in your back
• Improve your range of motion
• Improve your flexibility
• Increase your muscle tone and strength
• Pain Management

If you are experiencing back pain, chiropractic care from Tuck Chiropractic may be able to help ease your pain symptoms. As your chiropractor for back pain, we can help you recover from back pain no matter what the cause. Schedule an appointment with us today!

Maintaining clarity of thought and calmness is essential for making sound decisions, managing emotions, and navigating our daily routines. Unfortunately, the disruptive force of intense headaches can hinder this clarity. If you’re someone who frequently deals with headaches, know that you’re far from alone. In fact, an astounding 9 out of 10 Americans endure headaches. These range from occasional annoyances to severe debilitations, with symptoms varying from dull throbs to incapacitating pain. While conventional remedies like medication or retreating to a dim, quiet room can help, it’s important to realize that chiropractic care offers a compelling alternative for headache relief.

The Spectrum of Headaches and Chiropractic Care

Within the realm of headaches, chiropractors consistently encounter and treat three primary types: tension headaches, migraines, and cervicogenic headaches.

Tension Headaches: These familiar companions manifest as a band-like sensation tightening around the head. Muscle tension is believed to be the underlying cause.

Migraines: Recognized by sensitivity to light and sound, dizziness, and nausea, migraines often localize on one side of the head. Medication is sometimes used for prevention or symptom management during an episode.

Cervicogenic Headaches: These stem from neck-related issues and don’t respond well to medication. Originating on one side of the head, they migrate forward and might impact the same-side shoulder or arm.

Headaches can also be classified as episodic, occurring infrequently and tied to specific stressors, or chronic, persistently reoccurring after daily activities such as waking up or engaging in prolonged tasks.

Triggers and Factors

Headache triggers encompass various factors, including specific foods, health conditions, environmental elements (like noise, light, or smells), and stress. Behavioral stressors, such as extended periods of fixed posture, insufficient sleep, or excessive exercise, can also contribute to headache onset.

Taking Action at Home

When a consultation or adjustment isn’t feasible, there are practical steps you can take at home to mitigate headaches:
Break the Mold: Regularly pause and stretch if you spend prolonged periods in static positions—whether sitting at a desk, using a computer, driving, gaming, or looking at your phone. Engage in head, neck, shoulder, and back stretches to release tension and reduce strain.

Embrace Low-Impact Exercise: Walking and light aerobics are excellent ways to stay active without intensifying headaches.

Hydrate: Ensure you stay well-hydrated, as dehydration can trigger headaches.

Relieve Jaw Tension: Avoid clenching or grinding your teeth, as this can cause jaw tension leading to headaches.

Relaxation Techniques: Incorporate relaxation methods into your routine and consider massages from a partner or friend to ease bodily and mental stress.

Chiropractic Expertise

Chiropractors possess comprehensive training that extends beyond addressing back pain. They understand the interconnectedness of spinal tension and its impact on other bodily areas. By reducing bodily tension and stress, chiropractors can alleviate headache symptoms.
Treatment approaches vary based on the headache type:

Cervicogenic Headaches: Treatment often involves spinal or joint manipulation alongside deep neck exercises.

Migraines: Neuromuscular massages targeting trigger points may offer relief.

Tension Headaches: Gentle forces and stretching can enhance neck and spine movement.

Chiropractic Care: A Non-Invasive Solution

Chiropractic care stands as a safe, non-addictive alternative to prescription medication or over-the-counter drugs. Through chiropractic treatment, inflammation and discomfort can be reduced, while physical function and performance improve. This allows you to regain control over your day-to-day life, free from the constraints of headaches. To explore how chiropractic care can provide respite from your headaches, reach out to Tuck Clinic today.

In the US, when something is fundamentally important, we call it “the backbone.”

So, why is it that we, through this figure of speech, compare anything that’s truly essential to a “backbone”? Simple––it’s because the spine is one of the most important parts of human anatomy. The backbone is, quite literally, “the backbone” of our body!

The spine fulfills numerous roles in the body. It is so important that scientists even divide all of the Earth’s species into two categories of whether or not they have a spine—vertebrates and invertebrates.

It only makes sense that the remedies to most health problems need to include the spine. A properly aligned spine and neck will help to alleviate and prevent many health issues. By working on the spine, chiropractors can fix so much more than back pain. Here are just a few examples:

Blood Pressure

Who enjoys taking medication and suffering from all its side effects? The nausea, dizziness, fatigue, etc, that come with these drugs––all just because we need to take a pill to help solve a health problem?

A study published in the Human Journal of Hypertension indicates that chiropractic treatment of the Atlas vertebra (a bone on the top of your spine) could help to reduce blood pressure as effectively as some medications. We’re not saying that you should stop taking your medicine right away, but this study indicates that proper care of your spine could help to fix problems as effectively as medications. Plus, chiropractic treatment spares you many of the negative side effects that come with prescriptions.

Headaches

Headaches and migraines are some of the top ailments that chiropractors treat, other than back pain, of course. Most people spend their days sitting in a fixed position (at a desk, on the couch, etc), which causes neck tension and joint irritation—the primary cause of most headaches in today’s society. Proper spinal alignment performed by a chiropractor helps to relieve that tension and solves your issues at the source instead of simply masking the pain (as with ibuprofen or other pain medications).

Pain Management

If you’ve read up to this point, it shouldn’t surprise you to find that most pain in the body is related to your spine. When your spine is properly aligned, it reduces pain throughout your entire body, not just backaches. Proper spinal alignment has also been shown to reduce inflammation, which is a major cause of chronic muscle and joint pain (inflammation is also linked to cancer and heart disease).

So, Why Does The Spine Matter So Much?

Almost everything in our bodies is based on our spines. Our skeletal system branches out from it, and our muscles are rooted in it. The spine even provides a home for the nervous system, which controls nearly every function in your body.

That is why chiropractic treatment helps with so many different health issues. Chiropractic care has helped with everything from joint pain to digestion, to ear infections, to epilepsy.

As an added bonus, these treatments often solve the problem at the source, while medications usually focus only on the symptoms. Chiropractic methods are also much lower risk than many other treatments.

Visit us here at Tuck Chiropractic today to receive low-risk, drug-free treatment which will provide relief to whatever pain is ailing you.

You wake up in the middle of the night with pain radiating from your hip. You are sitting at work all day and your legs start tingling, going numb. Or, maybe everyone is standing and cheering for your kids at a soccer game and your lower back starts to kill while your legs go weak, so you have to sit down.

Sciatica is a drag. You don’t want to keep taking painkillers to dull the pain but, sometimes, it feels like there’s no choice. Luckily, there are some options for naturally relieving sciatica pain without resorting to over-the-counter medication.

Yoga

One of the best ways to naturally relieve sciatica (and all kinds of muscular pain) is by improving your core strength, spine flexibility, and hip mobility. It sounds like a lot, but there is one type of exercise you can do for just 15-20 minutes a day that hits all three goals: yoga.

It’s a great free option (there are hundreds of good quality yoga instructional videos on YouTube and you can do it from the comfort of your home for a few minutes before bed. Make sure to start out easy, though, as it is possible to hurt yourself if you overdo it too quickly—no handstands on day one!

Elevate Your Knees When Sleeping

One cause of sciatica is compression in your lower back which irritates the sciatic nerve. An easy remedy for this, while you sleep, is to elevate your knees. This puts the pressure off your lumbar, which decompresses your lower spine and gives your sciatica nerves some relief.

Tonight when you go to sleep, lie on your back and put pillows under your knees until you feel the tension releasing in your lumbar. Be careful not to lift your knees excessively high or they might go numb. Make sure they are just high enough for you to be comfortable and relaxed.

Bath Before Bed

We all lead busy lives, but sometimes a little quiet time in the bath is literally just what the doctor ordered. Having a warm soak before bed adds some heat to your back muscles, thus releasing tension. Heat submersion also naturally releases endorphins in your body that fight off pain.

If you don’t have time for a bath, other methods of heat therapy work, like applying a hot water bottle or heat pad to the lower back.

Call and Let Us Help

If you want to stop letting sciatica control your mood and lifestyle, give us a call at The Tuck Clinic and learn more about how we can help you get relief from your symptoms.

With cold temperatures and inclement weather, winter can be a real pain! If you are like many people, you feel more aches and pains in the winter than in the summer. Cold weather can make your joints feel stiff and sore; slipping on the ice can wrench your muscles and falls can cause painful musculoskeletal injuries. Even colds and flu can make you feel miserable.

Fortunately, chiropractic care can help you beat common winter ailments in your body to help prevent illness and injury, or to help you overcome the aches and pains that often come with the season.

Chiropractic Care in the Winter

Chiropractic care can help you overcome the perils of winter, including aches and pains, slips and falls or sports injuries, and even illnesses from colds and flu.

Fight Aches and Pains

Cold weather can cause the elastic tissue in your joints to stiffen up and become achy. Stiffness is a special problem if you have arthritis, which often flares up when you first start moving in the morning. A sedentary lifestyle can also cause stiff joints; cold temperatures and inclement weather can often delay exercise and increase sedentary behavior. Achy joints might also discourage you from exercising.

Chiropractic care can help you overcome aches and pains associated with cold weather, including stiffness and discomfort associated with arthritis, to help you stay active throughout the season.

Aide Recovery from Winter Sports Injuries, Slips and Falls

Skiing, skating, and other winter sports are fun, but they can be dangerous. Common winter sports injuries include spinal injuries, knee problems, ankle sprains, and more. Sledding is the most common cause of sports injuries during winter, but skiing, ice skating, hockey, and snowboarding can also cause sports injuries. The ice and snow of winter make slips and falls more likely. Emergency departments treat more than 2.8 million older people for fall injuries each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Injuries from slips and falls can be serious, causing broken bones and other injuries. In many cases, slipping and falling causes sprains strains and muscle aches.

Chiropractic care for sports injuries, slips, and falls include stretching for increased flexibility, chiropractic adjustments to address joint tightness, and muscle work to break up scar tissue.

Improve Posture

Chiropractic care can help you improve your posture, which helps you keep your balance as you walk on slippery surfaces.

Immune System Support

A strong immune system protects your body from contagious illnesses, such as colds and flu. Adults usually get two to three colds each year, according to the CDC, and children can catch even more because they have weaker immune systems.

Spinal adjustments can cause beneficial changes in the nervous system. Research shows that there is a strong connection between the nervous system and the immune system and that chiropractic care that includes spinal adjustments can help improve the overall health of an individual.

Boost Your Mood

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that tends to worsen in the darker days of winter. Research shows that chiropractic care can lessen anxiety and other symptoms of depression by decreasing pain, melting muscle tension, improving mental clarity, and providing a boost in physical energy.

Beat your winter ailments this year with chiropractic care! Spinal adjustments, massages, posture screenings, and muscle training can help you avoid injuries and illnesses during the cold season.

Schedule an appointment with Tuck Clinic today!

One of the most common injuries resulting from trauma, such as a car crash, is whiplash. Whiplash is a neck injury that occurs when a person’s head is violently snapped forward then backward, putting their spine and the muscles in their neck through extreme stress. After suffering whiplash, a patient may experience acute neck pain, prolonged difficulty moving their neck, shoulder/back pain, numbness, and/or headaches.

Diagnosing Whiplash

Though common, whiplash is sometimes difficult to diagnose given that there are a number of other causes for a whiplash-like symptom, including stingers and pinched nerves. Oftentimes, a person who has been in a traumatic accident may experience problems such as these in addition to whiplash.

During your initial visit, we will work with you in order to accurately and thoroughly diagnose the cause of the symptoms you are experiencing. This includes evaluating your spine as a whole and looking for areas where movement is restricted. They may use touch to locate areas of tenderness as well as observe your walk and posture in order to take note of your spinal alignment.

In addition to a physical examination, we may also order an x-ray or an MRI of your spine. Most often, these procedures are meant to identify any spinal issues that may have existed before your trauma that could compound your symptoms.

After a thorough examination of the injured area and your spine as a whole, a diagnosis will be made and treatment may begin.

Treating Whiplash

The treatment plan for whiplash varies depending on the severity of the injury as well as any other issues that may be compounding it. Most often, a chiropractor treating a whiplash injury will start by reducing the inflammation in the muscles in your neck. This is done using a variety of techniques such as stretches, ice packs, massages, and ultrasounds, and the goal is to reduce any pain and stiffness you may be experiencing.

After the inflammation and pain in your neck muscles have been reduced, your chiropractor will perform gentle spinal manipulation procedures in order to restore your full range of motion in your neck. Depending on the severity of your injury, these procedures may take a number of forms. In every case, though, the goal is to restore a complete range of motion and eliminate any pain and stiffness.

In most cases, patients who are suffering from whiplash can expect a full recovery if the right measures are taken.

Conclusion

Whiplash is a painful condition that sometimes won’t go away on its own. If you are suffering from prolonged neck stiffness and pain or any other symptoms resulting from trauma to your neck, we hope that you will contact Tuck Chiropractic today to schedule an appointment. We are ready to get you on the road to recovery.

The human body functions most efficiently when it is in balance. A balanced state occurs when the body is free of any illness or injury that causes one or more of its parts to function abnormally. This results in pain, inflammation, and general discomfort. Musculoskeletal imbalances can occur within the muscles or within the skeleton. These imbalances are often the result of an injury or a chronic condition like arthritis or fibromyalgia. Chiropractic adjustments from Tuck Chiropractic Clinic are just one way the delicate balance within the body can be restored, eliminating pain and inflammation.

The Balance Between Bone and Muscle

When an injury occurs and bone or connective tissue is forced out of place or damaged, it causes the soft tissues that surround it to become inflamed and subsequently alter its natural position. The delicate balance between the bone and the soft tissues is disrupted. If both aren’t addressed, the area will begin to heal abnormally resulting in chronic pain and discomfort. A chiropractic adjustment from Tuck Chiropractic Clinic addresses both abnormalities. Not only does it allow the bone to move back to its original position, it releases the muscle, allowing it to relax and support the skeletal structure as it normally would. While a single adjustment may work to correct a mild abnormality, you may need several adjustments to restore proper balance and maintain it during the healing process.

Restore Physical Balance and Improve Your Health

Chiropractic adjustments from Tuck Chiropractic Clinic are effective at restoring more than just structural balance to the body. When muscles hold inflammation, toxins and contaminants begin to build up within the body. Chronic conditions that affect the joints, like arthritis, fibromyalgia, and chronic fatigue syndrome can begin to weaken the body if not addressed effectively. A chiropractic adjustment allows the inflammation to gradually dissipate, restoring blood flow to the area and flushing away toxins and contaminants. As the toxins are flushed away, fresh oxygen and nutrients are brought in to take their place. The tissues now have what they need to begin the healing process.

Balance within the body affects many things. It affects both form and function. When the form is out of balance, the function of the body suffers and vice versa. Through the use of a nutritionally sound diet, regular exercise, and adequate amounts of rest, you can maintain this positive balance. Chiropractic adjustments and other treatment methods like massage therapy and physical therapy can be used as part of an effective treatment plan to help restore balance and maintain good health.

Chiropractic care works to improve balance throughout the entire body. It works by adjusting both Chiropractic care of the bones as well as the soft tissues, allowing them to return to their natural position without pain or discomfort. By releasing the muscles that hold the bone out of position, the adjustment creates a shift within the musculoskeletal system that is both restorative and balancing. With continued treatment from Tuck Chiropractic Clinic, the body will stay in balance for longer periods of time encouraging healing and reducing your pain and discomfort. To set up an appointment, contact Tuck Chiropractic Clinic today!

With the arrival of fall, many of us will find time to explore the great outdoors or indoor exercise activities. For those who have experienced swelling or pain in their joints, muscles, or back, an appointment with us is highly recommended before making any substantial changes in your exercise program.

Exercise Fundamentals

Develop an exercise regimen that suits your interests and abilities. Start slowly and move forward gradually. If a person has limited mobility and areas of pain, trying to walk 5 miles or do 50 sit-ups on the first day will be ineffective. Remember the 4 parts of a workout:

• Warm-up: Start with about 5 to 8 minutes of light aerobic exercises in your comfort zone, giving your body time to increase blood supply to the muscles so that they have greater flexibility.
• Stretching and Extending: Take some time to stretch your muscles. For those with a history of pain or under chiropractic care, talk specifically with the doctor about beneficial exercises and those that should be avoided. Stretching after your warm-up reduces the chance of injury.
• Aerobic Activity: Plan on reaching a goal of at least 20 minutes of exercise during this session, three times a week. When starting out, set the number lower–maybe 5 to 10 minutes of continuous exercise–and be sure not to cross any pain thresholds. Slow down if you feel tired or discomfort. Add a little time each week. The goal is to improve the frequency, duration, and intensity of your exercise over a period of time.
• Cool-down: Bring the intensity down rather than coming to a complete stop. Perform simple stretches after doing your aerobic session. If you notice any aches that persist, tell your chiropractor.

Finding the Right Balance and Staying on the Plan

Successful exercise plans require commitment. Start simple and increase your capacity to do longer aerobic sessions. If possible, find an exercise partner who can offer support. Build exercise sessions into your calendar so that other they become a part of your schedule. Even someone with a very busy routine should have the ability to schedule some stretches or lighter aerobic time. Take the stairs if you are able.

By parking a little farther away, you reward yourself with a few extra minutes of exercise.

Start with shorter sessions and track your activities. If you keep an exercise log, focus on positive accomplishments. Make it more than a place to record your weight. Have your workout clothes or the gym bag waiting in the car or by the door so they can motivate you.

Remember that your chiropractor is part of your support team. Before starting a new routine, schedule an appointment to discuss the best way to move forward. Be sure to get in touch with your chiropractor if you notice any pain or soreness.

For more information or to schedule an appointment, contact Tuck Chiropractic today.

No. Each patient’s care is unique and customized to meet their specific conditions and needs. Treatment plans are also based on your pain. Numerous spinal adjustment types and techniques depend on the patient’s medical history, age, size, and weight. Spinal adjustments done by chiropractic restore the normal healthy motion and position required by each spinal segment and do not injure or weaken the muscular and ligaments structures of the spine.

Getting adjusted by your local chiropractor is one way to help you heal your body when suffering from lower back, shoulder, or neck pain without drugs or surgery. The primary purpose of chiropractic care is to identify spinal subluxations, which are misalignments causing nerve stress, and reduce or correct them.

How Do Chiropractors Diagnose Your Condition?

You will first undergo the initial new patient examination, which involves your medical history and physical examination. Chiropractors will also use technologies such as spinal thermal scanning and electromyography. X-rays are also commonly used to check and reveal;

• The internal structure and alignment of the spine
• Underlying disease processes and disorders of the spine such as spinal deterioration or abnormal spinal development
• Arthritis of the spine
• Bone spurs
• Disc disorders
• Tumors and spinal curvature

These analyses will help to determine your specific condition and the need for chiropractic care. Depending on the diagnosis, your doctor will choose the best technique to treat your condition.

The word chiropractic derives from the Greek word ‘performed by hand.’ Chiropractors use a gentle and painless procedure known as a spinal adjustment to correct the cause of many health problems.

When Should I See a Chiropractor?

You may want to see a chiropractor if you want to live a more health-conscious life or if your job requires you to sit for extended periods. If you have the following symptoms, you may also need to see a chiropractor:

• Muscle and joint pain and stiffness
• Chronic back pain
• Neck pain
• Numbness and tingling sensations
• Soles of your shoes wear out differently
• Rib pain
• Limited range of motion
• Arm or leg pain
• Whiplash
• Headaches (migraine and chronic)
• Recent work and sports injury

What Is a Chiropractic Adjustment?

A chiropractic adjustment is an art of using a specific low force in a precise direction, applied to a subluxated joint, meaning it is “locked up” or not moving correctly. This natural and safe procedure aims to correct structural alignment and eliminate interference in the nervous system, improving spinal function, reducing pain, and improving health and wellness. Gentle spinal adjustments also boost your body’s immunity.

Examinations before Chiropractic adjustments are vital to avoid certain severe conditions like spondylolisthesis, a spinal condition that causes the vertebrae to slip out of place onto the vertebra below it. Gentle adjustments are administered painlessly and within your comfort zone.

Even though it may seem as if the chiropractor is adjusting people using similar techniques, every patient is adjusted differently within the same technique. Based on your needs, the chiropractor identifies which of your joints is subluxated, judges the direction to adjust, and chooses the appropriate point of joint contact. The chiropractor will then perform the adjustment by thrusting in a specific vector, force, and speed. Adjustments vary depending on joint restriction, skeletal maturity, and body type. Adjustments are executed based on the needs of the spine and diagnosis.

What Is a Subluxation?

Subluxations are problem areas of your spine that affect your entire nervous system. It occurs when a spinal vertebra is out of position compared to other vertebrae, possibly resulting in functional loss. This irritates or puts pressure on the nerves, interfering with the communication between your brain and body. It may involve your muscles, discs, ligaments, tendons, and other body parts as well.

What Causes Subluxations?

Spinal problems can be caused by everyday stresses and strains like lifting, gardening, housework, or sleeping on the couch. It can also be caused by auto accidents, falls, and sports activities. Subluxation in children occurs during birth, learning to walk, play, and other childhood activities.

What Are the Signs of Subluxations?

The most common symptoms are headache, back pain, neck stiffness, and shoulder, arm, or leg pains. Other signs are numbness in your hands and feet, fatigue, or nervousness.

What Causes the Popping Sound During an Adjustment?

A chiropractic adjustment does not affect the bones of either side of a joint. The popping noises produced are caused by gas released from the joint and are painless and harmless.

Which Manipulation Techniques Do Chiropractors Use?

Chiropractors may use the following manipulation techniques for various purposes such as:

Cox Distraction Manipulation for The Lumbosacral Spine
This is a technique used to relieve spinal pain as fast as possible. The method is performed on the Cox Table, specifically designed for the technique to be carried out.

The Drop Table Technique
This technique is also known as the Thompson technique and commonly treats lower back pain. It is suitable for adjusting pelvic and sacroiliac joints. The table can drop by tiny increments as pressure is applied in a thrusting motion to adjust the spine while keeping you comfortable.

Manual Adjusting (Diversified) Technique
This technique corrects misaligned spinal segments in the back or neck. It is the most common form of manipulation technique. Manual adjustment usually results in popping sounds associated with a chiropractic adjustment.

The Activator Technique
This treats lower back pain, headaches, and neck pain. The technique involves using a small hand-held spring-loaded adjusting instrument that allows your chiropractor to treat affected areas with quick, low-force impulses.

Gonstead Adjustment Method
This common hands-on technique involves rigorously analyzing the spinal region and realigning the spine. This alleviates pain, inflammation, and mobility in the affected areas. It is performed while sitting up or lying down. The Gonstead method treats chronic neck and back pain and pelvic or hip misalignments.

Can I Have a Say in My Chiropractic Adjustment?

Yes, you can. Chiropractic care is patient-centered, and your preferences should be taken into consideration. Chiropractors determine the areas that need to be adjusted. They take into account how you prefer to be adjusted to meet your needs for the best results.

For more information please contact Tuck Chiropractic.

Up to 40% of people experience sciatica at some point in their life. The condition can affect anyone at any age except young ones. The pain caused by the sciatic nerve can be debilitating, affecting your quality of life. You may be unable to sleep or do the activities you love. You can regain control of your life within 6 to 12 weeks with proper treatment. If you have been experiencing this pain, read on to understand what causes it and how you can get pain relief.

What Is Sciatic Pain?

Sciatica is pain, numbness, irritation, and tingling sensation caused by an injury or compression of the sciatic nerve. The pain can originate from the buttock area and can be mild to severe and disabling. Sciatica pain can also be irritating and infrequent and worsens with age. Sciatica is not a disease or medical condition but a symptom of a medical problem involving the sciatic nerve.

The sciatic nerve is the longest and widest nerve in the human body. The nerves originate from the lower back through each gluteal (buttocks) and then radiate down the legs, ending below the knee.

Typically, the pain only affects one side of the lower body, extending from the thigh and back, through the thigh, and down your leg. Sometimes the pain can spread to the toes or foot. The sciatic nerve controls several muscles in the lower legs, supplying sensation to most of the lower leg and the foot’s skin.

What Are the Symptoms of Sciatica?

Common symptoms include:

• A mild to sharp, excruciating pain or burning sensation that makes it hard to stand up
• Burning or tingling down the leg, foot, and toes
• Loss of bowel or bladder control
• Feeling like a jolting pain or electric shock
• Hip and lower back pain
• Muscle weakness in your foot or leg
• A constant pain on one side of the rear
• Numbness, or difficulty moving the leg or foot
• Pain in the leg that gets worse when sitting

What Causes Sciatic Pain?

Sciatic pain is caused by an underlying issue. Various spinal disorders cause sciatica nerve compression, including:

• Bulging or herniated disc: Discs are the cushion pads between each vertebra. Pressure can cause the gel-like center of the disk to bulge through the weak outer wall. It can also wear out due to degenerative diseases such as arthritis.
• Spondylolisthesis: This occurs when one of the discs slips forward over the vertebrae below it, resulting in a pinched nerve which increases the chance of sciatica.
• Lumbar spinal stenosis: Its caused by the narrowing of the space around the spinal cord. This increases pressure, causing pain, inflammation, and numbness in the affected leg.
• Piriformis syndrome: It’s a condition in which the piriformis muscle located in the buttock region involuntarily tightens or spasms causing sciatic pain.
• Osteoarthritis: Bone spurs can form, leading to compression in the lower back nerves.

Other causes include:

• Trauma that can result in spinal cord injuries
• Orthopedic surgery of the hip
• Pregnancy
• Muscle spasm
• Infections
• Tumors

When to See a Doctor

You should seek urgent medical assistance if you have:

• Fever and chills
• Severe back pain
• Redness or swelling in your back or spine
• You have a loss of bladder or bowel control
• If you have been in a violent injury such as a motor accident
• Sudden severe pain in your lower back or leg and muscle weakness or weakness in your leg.

What Are the Risk Factors for Sciatica?

Obesity: Excess weight puts too much pressure on the spine and compresses the sciatic nerve causing inflammation and pain.

Diabetes: The disease increases your chance of nerve damage, significantly increasing the risk of sciatica.

Smoking: It deteriorates the discs in your spine over time which may result in nerve damage, increasing the chance of sciatica.

Poor back posture: The path of the sciatic nerve is affected by how we sit, walk or stand.

Physically demanding work or work-related injuries. Repetitive motions like lifting heavy objects, walking or standing for too long, and driving for long periods, put pressure on the spine, irritating the sciatic nerve.

Aging: As we age, the body loses flexibility putting our nerves at risk of injuries or pinching due to changes in spine alignment.

History of low back pain: Low back pain causes inflammation in the lumbar region and spine. This can spread to the sciatic nerve.

Sleeping problems: Poor sleeping habits can be caused by chronic illness or general health. It can lead to back pain which also causes sciatic pain.

Poor health: Wellness improves health. A poor diet and lack of exercise increase the chances of developing sciatic pain.

Psychological distress: Stress can cause the brain to deprive the sciatic nerve of oxygen, leading to leg pain, tingling sensation, and weakness.

Injury: An injury on the hip or buttocks can cause sciatic pain.

How is Sciatica Diagnosed?

During your diagnosis, your doctor will take your medical history and get to know your symptoms. They will also do a physical examination, like asking you to walk on toes or your heels, stand from a squatting position, lift your legs, or perform stretches and various motions.
For severe cases and further diagnosis, your doctor may order other tests such as;

• X-ray reveals overgrown bones, bone fractures, tumors, or infections.
• MRI to take details of your bones and soft tissues like herniated disks
• CT scan to check on the condition of your spinal cord and the spinal nerves.
• Electromyography (EMG) to confirm if there is nerve compression.
• Myelogram to determine the cause of disk or vertebrae pain

What Is the Treatment for Sciatic Pain?

Sciatica treatment involves a combination of self-care measures, medication, or surgery (last resort). Treatment options include:

• Over-the-counter medicines such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs(NSAIDs) like ibuprofen.
• General core strengthening and aerobic exercises.
• Gentle stretches and yoga postures to alleviate pain and increase flexibility.
• Use products to relax the back like recliners, back supports, wedges, lumbar support, and footrest,
• Physical therapy is recommended to prevent future injuries and improve flexibility and posture.
• Application of ice or hot packs to relieve pain and inflammation
• Corticosteroid injections are administered into the lower back, to help reduce pain. The injections are given under the local anesthesia.
• Lifestyle changes such as losing weight, exercising, quitting smoking, avoiding sitting for long hours, and lifting objects carefully to avoid damaging your back. It may seem hard to make these adjustments at first, but it is essential to give you pain relief and improve your quality of life.

Alternative Treatments

Acupuncture: This involves inserting hair-thin needles into the skin at specific parts of your body. Acupuncture can help manage sciatica symptoms by relaxing tight muscles, releasing neurotransmitters that help reduce pain, improve blood circulation and regulate the nervous symptoms.

Chiropractic care: Whenever possible, it is always a good idea to opt for a more conservative, non-invasive treatment. Chiropractic care can offer you that as the purpose of chiropractic treatment is to help the body heal itself without surgery or medication. Chiropractic care will aim to realign the spine and take the pressure off the sciatic nerve for immediate pain relief. Your body will then begin to heal itself once the pressure is removed.
Treatment may also combine several methods such as cold therapies, ultrasound, TENs, physical therapy, and spinal adjustments.

• Cold therapy– uses cold materials and substances to reduce inflammation and control pain
• Ultrasound– produces gentle heat created by soundwaves that penetrate deep into soft tissues such as muscles. Ultrasounds increase circulation and help to reduce muscle spasms, cramping, swelling, and stiffness.
• TENs– refers to electric nerve stimulation. Its controlled electrical current allows for pain relief and reduction in spasms.
• Physical therapy– strengthening exercises help to relieve pressure, improve the flexibility of tight muscles, and strengthen the muscles of your back, abdomen, and legs.
• Spinal adjustments– Chiropractic manipulation can free restricted movement in the spine and restores misaligned bodies to their proper position allowing for full range of movement and comfort. Spinal adjustments reduce nerve irritability that is responsible for inflammation, pain, and other symptoms related to sciatica.

Surgery

Surgery is recommended if your sciatic pain lasts for more than three months and does not respond to other treatments. The type of surgery depends on the cause of your sciatica pain. To remove fragments of a herniated disc compressing the nerve, you may need to undergo a microdiscectomy. Your doctor may also recommend a lumbar laminectomy to widen the spinal cord and reduce pressure on the nerves in the lower back.

If you have been suffering from sciatic seeking professional treatment for pain relief is essential. For more information please contact Tuck Chiropractic.