Low Back Pain Treatment and Sciatic Relief with Zionsville Chiropractic

If you've had sciatic pain in Zionsville you know it's no fun

Usually, this discomfort starts in the lower back and can radiate down one or both legs. The most common symptom is a sharp or burning sensation in the buttock that travels down the back of the leg. People can also have numbness or a tingling sensation in the same area.

It's estimated that up to 40% of people will experience sciatica at some point in their life.

Sitting, standing, and even laying down become painful and it's hard to get through the day without being constantly aware of the pain. People suffering from low back pain and sciatica in Zionsville typically turn to over-the-counter (OTC) medications or even surgery.

Medications Treat the Symptoms Not the Cause

About 30 million people use OTC nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAIDs) medication on a daily basis to help manage their discomfort. Some of the most common NSAIDs are meds like aspirin (Bayer and Ecotrin), Ibuprofen (Advil and Motrin), and Naproxen (Aleve). It's a common misconception that these over-the-counter medications are fixing the problem simply because they are taking away the pain that you're experiencing.

Although NSAIDs tend to help dampen the pain that you're feeling and artificially decrease inflammation they do not come without side effects. Long-term usage of over-the-counter NSAIDs has been shown to cause severe stomach and intestinal damage. According to a study published in 2005 by the American Gastroenterological Association prolonged usage of NSAIDs increases the risk for gastric ulcers, indigestion, and intestinal bleeds. This study found that people who used NSAIDs for 90 days had a 71% increased risk of visible damage to their small intestines. With the dangers of NSAIDs becoming more well-known, people are looking for a more natural way to help lower back and sciatic pain without the side effects of chronic NSAID usage.

Try Chiropractic First

Chiropractic is a safe and effective alternative to NSAIDs or surgery for low back pain treatment and sciatic relief. A Chiropractic adjustment provides relief for spinal pain, decreases stress on nerves, and decreases inflammation. Research from 2006 showed that after a trial of specific chiropractic adjustments for sciatic treatment, 55% of patients had complete resolution of their sciatic leg pain. People in this study that also had lower back pain showed a 5 times greater improvement than people who did not receive chiropractic care.

As Chiropractors, when we work with someone experiencing sciatica, we look at several different things that may be happening with their spine to cause the pain. Sciatic leg pain can be brought on by misalignment of the pelvis that may be triggering the piriformis muscle which lies over the sciatic nerve to stretch and spasm. Adjusting and realigning the pelvis helps to balance the muscles surrounding the sciatic nerve and allows the sciatic nerve more space, free of irritation.

Sciatica can also be caused by pressure being put on the nerves of the lower back from a disc herniation. Surgery is a quick way that patients can get out of pain but it tends to be very expensive and can be extremely risky. Chiropractic care is a safe, conservative, and effective method to help with discogenic sciatic pain. A study published in The Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics in 2010 examined the outcomes in patients with disc herniations and sciatic leg pain. The article states, "60% of patients with sciatica who had failed other medical management benefited from spinal manipulation to the same degree as if they underwent surgical intervention."

Chiropractic should be used as the first option to treat low back and sciatic pain before either medication or surgery. Adjustments are specific to helping your body function better and improve your quality of life.

If you or a loved one are dealing with low back pain and sciatica, reach out to schedule a complimentary consultation so we can learn more about what's going on and get you back to living a pain-free life!

Resources and Research

• Study Shows that Long-term Usage of NSAIDs Cause Severe Intestinal Damage
• The Spine Journal
• Chiropractic or Surgery
• Discogenic Sciatica
• Spine-health