Sciatica Treatment: An Arlington Heights, IL Chiropractor’s Perspective
The sciatic nerve is one of the largest in the body, running from the buttocks down the back of the leg. Sciatica is a condition that results in compression of the sciatic nerve causing pain, numbness, and/or tingling that travels down the back of the leg. Sciatica treatment often focuses on relieving pressure on the nerve and restoring proper function to the lower back and pelvis.
Sciatica Pain: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment Options
Sciatic pain typically worsens with prolonged periods of sitting and improves with movement. Because most people nowadays sit for work for hours on end day after day, sciatica is especially common. Sitting, along with many other common activities such as lifting, repetitive motions, carrying kids, and golfing, can cause what is called a subluxation.
A subluxation is a joint of the spine or pelvis that is not able to function properly, which creates stress and pressure on the spinal nerves and commonly results in pain. The three lowest spinal nerves in the lower back (L3, L4, and L5) combine to form the sciatic nerve. Sciatic pain is commonly caused by subluxations in the lower back and pelvis.
Additionally, when subluxations are present in the spine, muscles tend to tighten around the area and can contribute to compression of the sciatic nerve and pain down the back of the leg. Sciatica typically responds well to chiropractic care as we focus on restoring motion in the joints of the lower back, taking pressure off of the nerves, and resolving pain through chiropractic care in Arlington Heights, IL.
If left untreated, you may begin to develop worsened pain and weakness of the affected leg, which is why many patients seek chiropractic treatment in Arlington Heights, IL sooner rather than later. This is why it is important to get treatment sooner rather than later.
Our experienced chiropractors at Sleigh Family Chiropractic specialize in evaluating spinal dysfunction and creating personalized treatment plans for patients experiencing sciatica.
Signs and Symptoms of Sciatica
Sciatica occurs when the sciatic nerve becomes irritated or compressed, often resulting in pain and nerve-related symptoms that travel through the lower back and legs. The severity of symptoms can vary depending on the amount of pressure placed on the sciatic nerve.
Common symptoms of sciatica may include:
- Pain that radiates from the lower back down the back of the leg
- Numbness or tingling in the leg, foot, or toes
- Muscle weakness in the affected leg
- Sharp or burning pain that worsens with sitting
- Discomfort that improves with standing or walking
Recognizing these symptoms early can help patients seek appropriate sciatica treatment before the condition progresses or begins affecting daily activities.
Common Causes of Sciatica Pain in Arlington Heights, IL
Herniated Lumbar Discs
Lumbar discs are the separators in between the bones of the lower back. Herniated lumbar discs are similar to bulged lumbar discs with the biggest difference being more wear and tear.
Bulging and herniated discs arise from long standing stress on a spinal joint, or longstanding subluxation of a spinal joint. The stress of a subluxation on a joint causes the outer fibers of the disc to wear out and become thin.
The disc can then bulge outward putting pressure on the nerves. If left untreated, the outer layer of the disc can tear, allowing the inner jelly-like substance to break through.
When the inner jelly-like substance breaks through, a bulging disc is considered herniated. The pain of a herniation is typically more severe than a bulging disc with pain traveling down the leg. If left untreated, surgery may be the only option.
Degenerative Disc Disease
Degenerative disc disease is back pain caused by wear and tear of a spinal disc (the spacers between the bones). It is typically an age dependent condition that occurs in joints over time.
Obesity, smoking, poor posture and repetitive movements can speed the process of degeneration. Many times, patients think that degeneration of the disc is something that just happens over time no matter what they do.
However, when we look at their xrays, they typically will have this condition present at one or a few joints of their spine. Since all the joints in the spine are the same age, we know that this is not ONLY an age related change. What we know is that joints that are subluxated over a long period of time will wear out faster.
The stress on a subluxated joint causes osteophytes to form on the bone, like a callus on a weight lifter’s hands, as well as the thinning of the discs. Both of these create compression on the spinal nerves leading to pain in the lower back and sometimes contributing to chronic sciatica pain.
It is best to get treatment earlier rather than later. Pain is typically the last thing to show up long after the underlying problem and degeneration have begun. Chiropractic care can resolve the pain and slow the degenerative process, but we are unable to reverse any damage that has been done.
Spinal Stenosis
There is a canal that runs through the center of the bones of the spine where the spinal cord is found. Spinal stenosis occurs when there is narrowing of the spinal canal which creates pressure on the spinal cord and the spinal nerves that exit to go to all of our tissues.
Patients who experience spinal stenosis typically have pain within the lower back that travels down one or both legs, and/or into the groin. Pain worsens with walking and standing and tends to improve with sitting, resting and bending forward.
If left untreated, you may begin to develop weakness, numbness or loss of bladder/bowel control.
Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction (SI Joint Pain)
The sacroiliac joint is where the pelvis meets the sacrum, which is the base of the spine. The function of the sacroiliac joint is to absorb the shock between the upper body and the pelvis and legs.
Dysfunction can occur from hypermobility (the joints being too mobile) or hypomobility (the joints moving less than they should).
Sacroiliac joint dysfunction is very common in women who are pregnant as they have higher levels of the relaxin hormone making their joints more susceptible to misalignments. Other common contributors to sacroiliac joint dysfunction are standing with more weight on one foot than the other and sitting with uneven pressure on the ‘sit bones.’
To determine if sacroiliac joint dysfunction is the cause of your lower back pain, we use x-ray imaging, joint motion palpation, and leg length checks.
Subluxation
Subluxation is a term used to describe a joint that is out of alignment or not able to function as it should. This not only affects how the muscles are functioning but it also affects the nervous system. When the joints of the spine are not able to function as they should, it puts pressure on the nerves creating inflammation and pain.
Chiropractic care is the only form of treatment that focuses on removing subluxations by restoring motion into the joints and taking pressure off nerves. When the nerves are able to function without interference, pain will go away.
Spondylolisthesis
Spondylolisthesis is a condition diagnosed on xray in which one of the bones of the lower back has slipped forward over the bone below. When this happens, the spinal cord and spinal nerves can become compressed. There are four different classifications of spondylolisthesis.
The most common is degenerative spondylolisthesis that occurs from wear and tear over time. This type typically responds great with chiropractic care. Other forms are due to trauma resulting in a fracture, and in those circumstances surgery may be required.
Sciatica Treatment in Arlington Heights, IL: Our Chiropractic Approach
The chiropractors at Sleigh Family Chiropractic work to restore proper movement in the spinal and pelvic joints by identifying the root cause of spinal dysfunction. Our chiropractic treatment process is designed to reduce nerve pressure, improve mobility, and support long-term recovery.
We begin with a comprehensive evaluation of spinal alignment, posture, and nerve function to determine the source of discomfort and identify areas of restricted motion within the spine.
When necessary, digital X-rays help identify structural issues such as disc problems, joint dysfunction, or spinal misalignment that may be contributing to nerve pressure.
Specific chiropractic adjustments restore motion to restricted joints and reduce pressure on affected nerves, helping the body heal and function properly.
We provide guidance on movement, posture, and therapeutic exercises to support healing, maintain spinal health, and reduce the risk of future flare-ups.
How We Treat Sciatica Pain In Arlington Heights, IL
Comprehensive Consultation and Exam for Sciatica Treatment
We want to be sure that we know exactly what is causing your pain before recommending any treatment. Treating your sciatica first starts with sitting down with one of our doctors who will really listen to what you have been experiencing. We are always shocked when patients tell us they have never had as thorough of an evaluation with a doctor who truly listens.
Once we have a better idea of what has been going on, we will perform a very thorough examination including palpation of the spine, posture analysis, orthopedic tests, computerized neurological scans and digital X-rays (if needed).
The goal at the end of the evaluation is to determine if dysfunction in the spine and nervous system are the root cause of your complaint(s) and to determine what the most effective treatment plan will be.
Specific Chiropractic Care
As chiropractors, we treat subluxations. These are joints of the spine that are misaligned or not moving like they should. When this happens, it puts stress and pressure on the nervous system, preventing the nerves from functioning how they should, and causing symptoms to arise. Subluxations present within the lower back and the pelvis can result in sciatica. The most common way in which subluxations occur is through poor posture and repetitive movements.
Chiropractic adjustments are very specific movements that are performed to areas of the spine where subluxations are present, helping relieve pressure related to sciatic nerve pain. The chiropractic adjustment restores motion into the joints and relieves pressure placed on the nervous system. This allows your body to heal and function the best that it can, resolving your sciatica.
Custom Therapeutic Exercise Plan
When joints of the spine are misaligned or not functioning how they should, it can create muscle tightness, weakness, and/or imbalance in the muscles that attach to the pelvis and the bones of the lower back. For this reason, you will receive a customized therapy plan that is to be done at home to ensure proper healing.
The stretches and exercises we recommend support our adjustments and ensure that the muscles in the glutes and legs don’t add any strain on the sciatic nerve, helping improve lower back pain and sciatica.
Flexion/Distraction
Not only can misaligned or restricted joints create sciatic pain, but it can also arise from problems in the spinal discs – the spaces between the individual bones of the spine.
Spinal flexion/distraction is a technique that restores motion into the joints, brings fluid and nutrients to rehydrate the spinal discs and relaxes the musculature connecting to the spine. This technique is especially great for bulging discs or herniated discs and those experiencing sciatica, and is often used as part of sciatic nerve treatment to restore proper placement between the bones of the spine.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Should I see a doctor or a chiropractor about Sciatica?
Many patients searching for a chiropractor near me choose chiropractic care first when experiencing sciatica. Sciatica typically arises from subluxations being present within the spine and pelvis as well as from muscles in the glutes being too tight. Medical doctors will likely prescribe medication to reduce tightness and pain but they are not going to resolve the problem at hand. Chiropractic adjustments will remove subluxations and reduce pressure on the nerves, resolving your sciatica.
2. What is the best treatment for sciatica?
The best treatment for sciatica is chiropractic care. Chiropractic care will ensure proper motion in the joints of the lower back and pelvis, which is why many patients looking for a chiropractor for sciatica in Arlington Heights choose chiropractic care first. This helps take pressure off the nerves and ensures proper function of the muscles that connect to the spine and pelvis. Many people will first see a medical provider and are prescribed muscle relaxers or pain relievers, which may temporarily improve the pain but it will likely return because the underlying problem has not been resolved.
3. Can stretching make sciatica worse?
In addition to getting adjusted, we frequently also recommend specific stretches to support our adjustments. We find that patients who follow the recommended stretches get the best results the quickest. Sciatica often results from a combination of the spine and the pelvis not functioning as they should and the muscles of the glutes and legs being too tight. Stretching can reduce tension in those muscles taking pressure off of the sciatic nerve and reducing pain.
4. What causes sciatica flare-ups?
Many times sciatica flare-ups arise from subluxations being present within the lower back and pelvis. The subluxations most commonly related with sciatica flare ups are commonly caused by poor posture and repetitive motions. Poor posture that involves an imbalanced pelvis, like standing with uneven pressure on both feet and sitting with uneven pressure on the sit bones, is a very common cause of sciatica flare ups. Another common cause of sciatica flare ups is a tight piriformis muscle, which is a muscle in the glute that tends to tighten when sitting for long periods of time. The sciatic nerve goes through the piriformis muscle and can put pressure on the sciatic nerve when it is tight. This is why in addition to receiving chiropractic adjustments we recommend home exercises to ensure loosening of tight muscles and strengthening of weak muscles.
5. What exercises help with sciatica?
Exercises that focus on stretching the muscles of the glutes and the legs can help improve sciatica. It is also important to get adjusted, in addition to doing exercises at home, to ensure all of the bones of the lower back and pelvis are functioning properly. Most often, sciatica is caused by both subluxations in the spine and pelvis and tightness in the gluteal and leg muscles. Chiropractors are the only professionals who are able to address both of these causes. When both are taken care of at the same time, patients get the best results possible.
Start Your Sciatica Treatment in Arlington Heights
Take the first step toward pain-free living with personalized chiropractic care at Sleigh Family Chiropractic. Our team provides effective care for sciatica treatment and other spinal conditions to help relieve pressure on the sciatic nerve and restore mobility.