A common reason many patients seek chiropractic care is due to sharp lowerback that radiates into the buttock or down the leg. This pain presentation is called sciatica or sciatic nerve pain. This condition is caused by pressure on the nerve by a herniated disc, bone spur or narrowing of the foramen which leads to inflammation. It is common to have associated lower back muscle spasms, numbness and or tingling in the buttock and leg when the sciatic nerve is inflamed.
While the presentation of sciatica is easy to diagnose, it is very important to get proper imaging studies to identify the extent of the nerve
compression on by which tissues or structures are causing the compression. In office x-rays can identify bone spurs and foraminal narrowing but will not identify if there is a possible disc herniation. In our clinical experience an MRI is the best diagnostic test to properly identify all possible causes of sciatic nerve compression. Once the source of the compression is identified a treatment plan can be created to improve the
condition.
Treatment
Treatment is aimed at first reducing acute pain and muscle spasms using moist heat, electrical muscle stimulation, laser therapy, and specific
stretches. Next we perform light instrument assisted chiropractic manipulation and spinal decompression to remove the pressure on the sciatic
nerve. Using this combination of treatments is very effective at alleviating most cases of sciatic pain.
If you are experiencing similar pain or have already had an mri and want an mri review please call 502-290-7876 to schedule a consultation.