Have you experienced pain or numbness in your lower back, buttock and/or legs that makes it very uncomfortable to move? Do you feel pain when you sit which makes it harder for you to walk right after? If you’ve answered ‘yes’, then it’s possible that you may have sciatica.
What is Sciatica?
The term, “Sciatica”, is commonly referred to as pain from the sciatic nerve that runs through the hips and buttocks all the way to our legs. Some people may have dull aching, while some may experience sharp pain that could be like an “electric shock” type feeling.
When the sciatic nerve is irritated, the nerve becomes inflamed, painful and could cause some numbing of the leg. Sciatica usually affects only one leg, but it can also happen to both legs at the same time.
FUN FACT: The sciatic nerve is the single longest and widest nerve in the entire body! This is why when you experience sciatica, the pain can be difficult to go through and why immediate pain relief is almost always crucial.
What are some symptoms of sciatica?
There are many symptoms that may indicate signs of sciatica, such as:
- Burning and tingling sensations that run down the thigh and leg
- Weakness in the leg or foot
- Sharp pain when in a sitting position
- Inability to walk or stand without feeling pain
- “Electric shock” type pain
If only mild aching is experienced, the pain usually subsides within a few days. However, seek professional advice if the pain does not subside with medication or the symptoms worsen after a week.
What causes sciatic nerve pain?
Sciatica is usually associated with herniated discs, otherwise known as slipped discs. Injuries from a fall or accident, or even poor posture can cause the discs in our lumbar spine to “herniate” due to accumulated stress on our soft tissues. Repetitive heavy lifting can also affect the bio-mechanics in our spine, causing the nerves and joints to become inflamed and irritated.
Bone spurs, where bone can protrude as an attempt to strengthen the lumbar spine but inadvertently can press on the sciatic nerve is also another cause of sciatica.
Spinal stenosis can also affect the sciatic nerve, usually caused by osteoarthritis that results from poor spinal alignment and posture causing the wear and tear of soft tissues, thus narrowing the spinal canal. When the spinal canal is narrowed, more pressure surrounds the spinal cord and nerves – affecting the sciatic nerve as well.
Pregnancy and obesity can also cause sciatica. When an excessive amount of weight is gained, it causes a severe strain on the lumbar spine which can also irritate the nerves and increases the risk of low back pain and weakness in the legs.
FUN FACT: Sciatica typically comes with age, especially to people aged 40 and above, and affects 10% to 40% of the population. People below the age of 20 will rarely experience sciatica unless they’ve been through something traumatic.
What treatments are available for sciatica?
There are many sciatica treatment options out there – people normally prefer conservative options like self-care remedies and physical therapy as opposed to steroid injections and surgery.
Depending on how painful it is, self-care remedies such as putting on a cold or hot pack on the affected area and doing some light stretching exercises can be enough to relieve sciatic nerve pain.
Over-the-counter medication may also help to speed up pain relief. However, surgery would be the last resort for people with severe sciatica, especially when they lose control of their bowel and bladder movements.
If none of these options seems to work for you and you want to avoid surgery at all costs, consider chiropractic care as part of your sciatica treatment.
How does chiropractic care help with sciatica?
Chiropractic care does not only consider bones and joints (contrary to popular belief), but it looks at the body as a whole – including the nervous system. By taking into account their patients’ lifestyles, medical history and spine’s condition, chiropractors take time to assess each patient’s situation before customizing a treatment plan that effectively treats the issue at hand.
The objective of chiropractic care is to improve the biomechanics of the body restoring mobilisation of the joints,reducing stress and inflammation, this can reduce pressure and irritation on the sciatic nerve and help to reduce the pain and symptoms of sciatica.
Need help with relieving sciatica in Singapore? Consult a chiropractor now!
Chiropractic care effectively restores and corrects the biomechanics of the soft tissues of your joints and body and guides them to function normally so that you can live your life pain-free. If you’ve been suffering from sciatica for a while now, please don’t delay any further and seek professional treatment immediately.
If you’re looking for a chiropractic clinic in Singapore that has it all, why not consider Elite Spine Centres? We have a vast range of treatments available that are effective in slowing down and preventing the development of sciatica and other nerve-related issues such as cervical spondylosis.
Making you feel better and healthier is our ultimate goal. Contact us now if you have any further questions on how we can help.