Sciatica: What Are My Treatment Options?
Sciatica is pain felt when the sciatic nerve, the longest nerve in the body, is irritated. The pain is usually experienced on only one side of the body and shoots down through the buttock and the thigh and down the leg. It may even reach the person’s foot. The discomfort can be debilitating, and people who have sciatica long for quick and lasting relief. Fortunately, there are many treatment options at La Grange Chiropractic for sciatica.
Home Remedies
A person who is having an attack of sciatica can alternate hot and cold packs against the areas where they are feeling the pain. Place a cold pack on the area or areas in 20 minute sessions several times a day. Do not place ice directly on the sin. After a couple of days of cold packs, the patient can start using heat. This can come in the form of a heat lamp or a heating pad.
Traditional Medicine
The doctor can prescribe several types of medications to help with sciatica. They include narcotics to ease the pain, anti-inflammatory drugs to reduce inflammation along the nerve, and anti-seizure medications. Muscle relaxants can ease the spasms in the back and the legs, and some people even benefit from tricyclic antidepressants, or TCAs.
Chiropractic Therapy
Many people with sciatica respond well to chiropractic adjustments. The chiropractor adjusts the patient’s spine to help it regain its function and movement and relieve the pain. We also offer ultrasound, trans-cutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), and ice therapy. If the spine can be realigned, the theory is that the patient’s mobility will increase and their pain will decrease.
After your initial consultation with Dr. Petrucci, he may decide that more than one adjustment is necessary. Of course the final say is up to you, and you can keep receiving chiropractic care as long as you want, or you can stop as soon as the pain is manageable. Dr. Petrucci may also recommend certain exercises to strengthen the back muscles in order to minimize the likelihood of your sciatica recurring.
If you are ready to experience pain relief, contact or visit us at La Grange Chiropractic today! Dr. Petrucci and his team of professionals look forward to meeting you. We are conveniently located in La Grange, KY.