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Sciatica

Sciatica refers to pain, weakness, tingling or numbness in the leg. It is caused by injury/pressure on the sciatic nerve. Sciatica is a symptom of another medical problem.

How do you know if you are suffering from sciatica?  

If you are experiencing pain that radiates from the back or buttocks all the way down the legs, you may have a  condition often called sciatica. Many people in the Sandpoint area and the Spokane area look to North Idaho Chiropractic Neurology Center so they don't have to suffer from sciatica pain and can achieve a long term solution. An untreated sciatic issue can continue to worsen and make the daily tasks of living go from difficult to almost impossible an always painful until we help you uncover and treat the underlying medical condition. 

Symptoms to look for:

  • Pain in the lower back
  • Pain in the buttocks on one side
  • Hip pain on one side
  • Pain down one leg and into the foot
  • Tingling/numbness/burning down one leg and into the foot
  • Worsens when straightening leg
  • Stiffness or pain in foot or leg
  • Increased pain when sitting for longer periods of time

SCIATIC TREATMENT IN SANDPOINT, ID & SPOKANE, WA 

Sciatica, which is also known as sciatic neuralgia, causes pain in the lower back, down the back of the leg, and into the foot. It can make sitting and standing for long periods of time difficult and can lead to tingling, weakness, and numbness in the leg and even into the foot.

You may wonder the reason why the pain travels so far and seems to radiate up and down the legs and back and even the foot.  It is because it is caused by the compression of the sciatic nerve and the sciatica nerve is the longest nerve in the body. This sciatic nerve starts in the lumbar spine and extends into the buttocks before traveling down the leg to the ankle and foot. There are a number of reasons for sciatica.  One of them is that when the vertebrae in the low back are compressed, the roots of the sciatic nerve can become pinched and irritated and cause pain.

HOW DO YOU DEVELOP SCIATICA?

There are a number of factors that can lead to sciatica. 

Disc injuries and bulges can cause sciatica.  A disc can press against the nerve root causing sciatica. Repetitive use injuries, accidents and poor posture can also contribute to sciatica. Sciatica is also common when there are subluxations (misalignments) in the spine.  Some patients say they simply bent over to pick something up or did some simple movement and they were hit with extreme pain/sciatica. The spinal condition was probably developing long before the final trigger.  Dr. Ambridge will help you identify key issues and neurological imbalances that led to onset of sciatica.

CHIROPRACTIC NEUROLOGY CARE FOR SCIATICA

Dr. Ambridge is a highly trained functional (chiropractic) neurologist who can zero in on the source of the sciatica and to work with you to find the most effective approach to treatment. After a thorough assessment, a course of treatment will be designed to meet your underlying brain or body imbalance and to help you regain function. 

How is it treated

Treatment depends on the cause of the sciatic pain.  There can be disc involvement or a misalignment or rotation of the vertebrae, pelvis and hip structures causing muscle tension and compression on the sciatic nerve.  Chiropractic Neurology treats these underlying problems.

Treatment Can Include: 

  • Chiropractic neurology manipulations
  • Physical rehabilitation
  • Disc decompression
  • Cold laser therapy
  • Neurological rehabilitation

Some people respond very quickly while others take more time to recover. It really depends on the condition of the disc or the joints that the chiropractor has to help rehabilitate.

It is important to seek care early, because in most cases, the longer the issue persists, the longer it will take to achieve correction. On the bright side, it typically takes less time to fix an issue like this than it took to create it. Once the position of the spine and discs are improved, patients often report improvements not just for their sciatica, but to their overall health. 

If you are experiencing symptoms of sciatica call our team at North Idaho Chiropractic Neurology Center.

North Idaho Chiropractic Neurology Center has locations in Sandpoint, ID and Spokane, WA to help you get relief from sciatica!

Phone: (208) 946-5888

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Tuesday:

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Wednesday:

8:00 am-6:00 pm

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Testimonial

  • "Dr. Ambridge takes a thorough holistic approach to overall body and brain wellness. He gets to the root of the issue(s) instead of just treating symptoms. I can't say enough good things about Dr. Ambridge and his staff at the Chiropractic Neurology Center!"
    Stefanie M.