Understanding Sciatica

If you experience a sharp, shooting pain running from your lower spine to your legs, then you may be suffering from sciatica. Sciatica occurs when the sciatic nerve, the longest and largest nerve in your body, becomes pinched or compressed. The compression happens when a disk bulges or herniates, causing numbness, inflammation, or pain in the affected area. If you are struggling to manage your sciatic pain, True Balance Chiropractic & Physical Therapy in Mansfield can help treat the root cause of the pain and prevent it from reoccurring in the future.

Risk Factors for Sciatica

We often see patients suffering from sciatica due to auto accidents. However, there are other common risk factors that make people prone to sciatica. Risk factors for sciatica include:   

Age

Age is the leading risk factor associated with sciatica. As you age, the risk of sciatica increases due to many age-related issues that contribute to spine degeneration. Such issues include:

• Spinal stenosis, resulting in the narrowing of the spine 
• Degeneration of the intervertebral disc
• Herniated discs that press on the sciatic nerve

Work Ergonomics

Your occupation can increase the risk of sciatica. For example, if your occupation is physically demanding, you are at higher risk of experiencing back injuries, resulting in sciatica. However, sedentary jobs can also increase the risk of sciatica. Sitting in an office for long hours compresses your disc and spine, resulting in lower back pain. 

Obesity and Diabetes

Obesity increases stress on your spine by excess body weight, contributing to changes in your spine leading to sciatica. In addition, diabetes affects blood sugar, which increases the risk of nerve damage, including the sciatic nerve. 

Pregnancy 

The hormonal changes and shifting of the baby's position experienced during pregnancy increase the risk of sciatica. Women are more at risk of sciatica during their second and third trimesters.

Treatment for Sciatic Nerve Pain

If you are suffering from sciatica, our chiropractor can provide relief without using medications or invasive procedures. Here are common techniques we use to treat sciatic nerve pain.

• Chiropractic adjustments: This method realigns your spinal joints, relieving pressure on the sciatic nerve. 
• Physical therapy: We manipulate the tissues in the lower back, pelvis, buttocks, and abdomen to strengthen your muscles, helping you restore proper body function. 

Chiropractic care is beneficial because instead of masking your symptoms, we treat the root cause of your pain rather than alleviating the symptoms.

Visit Us for Relief from Your Sciatica in Mansfield, TX

Our chiropractor treats various musculoskeletal injuries, including neck pain, lower back pain, sciatica, and much more. If you are suffering from sciatica, contact us to book an appointment with True Balance Chiropractic & Physical Therapy in Mansfield, TX. Our chiropractor will help alleviate the root cause of your sciatica pain. Contact us today to learn more about how our team can help you return to a pain-free life.

Call us today at (682) 478-5277