Back Pain & Sciatica
If you have lower back pain that shoots down either leg, you may be suffering the symptoms of sciatica.
Sciatica is a condition that affects your sciatic nerve. This nerve is located in your lower back and branches out through your hips and buttocks and trails down both legs.
Sciatica typically only affects one side of your body or the other, but most forms of sciatica cause lower back pain.
If you suffer from this painful condition, Integrative Chiropractic can help.
What Is Sciatica?
Sciatica is caused by compressed nerves. It could be due to a herniated disc, a bone spur, or a condition called spinal stenosis that causes the spine to become more narrow. Regardless of why the nerve becomes compressed, pain results and can settle in your lower back. This may cause tingling, or numbness in your leg as well.
Some things can make sciatica worse, such as sitting for long periods of time or the sudden movements caused by coughing or sneezing. If you’re suffering from sciatica, booking an appointment with Integrative Chiropractic can help alleviate your pain without the need for surgery.
Causes of Sciatica
Several factors commonly contribute to sciatica, including:
- Normal aging
- Sedentary lifestyle
- An occupation that requires regular bending, lifting, or sitting
- Obesity
- Diabetes
- Injury or trauma such as that caused by sports injuries
Fortunately, surgery is often not the only treatment that relieves the pain of sciatica. Chiropractic adjustments at Integrative Chiropractic can be extremely beneficial in relieving lower back pain and pain associated with sciatica, especially in sciatica caused by injuries such as those that happen during football, hockey, or other contact sports. Simple spinal manipulations and adjustments can help realign vertebrae and relieve pressure on the sciatic nerve. As a result, you’ll feel better and have improved mobility.
Middle Back Pain
Are you regularly suffering from middle back pain below your neck and above the bottom of your rib cage? Referred to as the thoracic spine, this is one of the most common areas to experience chronic pain and a common reason why patients seek treatment with a chiropractor. Here is what you need to know.
Common Symptoms of Middle Back Pain
The thoracic spine or middle back is composed of twelve bones called the T1 to T12 vertebrae. In between these bones is what’s called disks. The job of this part of your body is to protect the spinal cord, and there are numerous muscles and nerves that can become injured or irritated in this region.
So, how do you know you’re experiencing middle back pain? The most common symptoms include muscle stiffness, sharp pain, sudden achiness, or a burning sensation. In minor cases, you might feel a dull pain that never quite fully goes away.
Causes of Middle Back Pain
There are numerous causes for pain in the thoracic spine. For example, chronic middle back pain can be caused by something as simple as sleeping wrong or poor posture. Those who are overweight or live a sedentary lifestyle also seem to experience it more.
But the problem could also be something more serious, too. Herniated disks, osteoarthritis, and joint fractures can all cause middle back pain. Severe injuries like falls, car accidents, sports injuries, and more can also be the culprit of severe thoracic spine pain.
Treatment of Middle Back Pain
So, how is middle back pain treated? Visiting your chiropractor is generally the first step in achieving relief. During the first appointment, they will generally evaluate your pain and take x-rays to ensure there are no fractures or visible damage to your spine.
In the case of degenerative disk disease or arthritis, there will be evidence on the scans and an appropriate course of treatment is prescribed. If it is simply muscular, your chiropractor will perform a manual adjustment and recommend special stretching exercises to improve posture, heat, or ice therapy at home, along with other treatments.