Seeking Sciatica Treatment in Lanham, MD & Surrounding Areas?
Effective Chiropractic PG County Offers Sciatica Pain Relief
Your sciatic nerve runs from your hips to your feet. Sciatica is an umbrella term for any nerve pain or discomfort felt when the sciatic nerve becomes irritated. If you’ve experienced numb, weak, tingly, or painful buttocks, legs, feet, or toes, you could have sciatica pain. Effective Chiropractic PG County offers various sciatica treatment options in Lanham, MD and surrounding areas, including Millersville, Crofton, New Carrolton, Landover Hills, Riverdale, Seabrook, West Lanham Hills, and Woodlawn. With our help, you could manage, reduce, or even eliminate your sciatica pain without resorting to surgery. Reach out to us today and request a free consultation to discuss your treatment options with our dedicated team!
What Is Sciatica? What Causes This Painful Condition?
Sciatica is a painful condition that typically affects one side of your body, with pain radiating along your sciatic nerve. Sciatica may be caused by a herniated disc, pinched sciatic nerve, bone spur on your vertebrae, or spinal compression caused by spinal stenosis. Any irritation or inflammation of the sciatic nerve can trigger sciatica symptoms. Sports-related injuries and car accidents often result in muscle strains and scar tissues contributing to sciatica pain. In rare cases, diabetes complications and tumors can also cause sciatica. Sciatica pain ranges from mild to severe, but many who suffer from this condition can find lasting relief with nonsurgical treatment options. Mild sciatica pain may resolve itself over time with self-care. However, if your pain becomes progressively worse, you may wish to seek urgent medical or chiropractic care. People with more severe sciatica symptoms may require surgery.
What Are the Most Common Symptoms of Sciatica?
The most common symptom associated with sciatica is pain that radiates from your lower spine or buttocks region down the back of one of your legs in the thigh and calf areas. Some patients describe this pain as a dull ache, while others say it feels more like a sharp, burning sensation or an electric shock whenever they sneeze or cough. Other common symptoms include muscle numbness, tingling, or weakness in the affected leg or foot. More severe sciatica may also result in bowel or bladder issues.
What Factors Increase Your Risk of Developing Sciatica?
As you age, bone spurs (bone overgrowths) on your spine and herniated discs are the most common causes of sciatica. Obese individuals are more likely to experience sciatica pain, as extra pounds place additional stress on your spine. People who lead a sedentary lifestyle are more likely to develop sciatica pain, as are people with uncontrolled diabetes because high blood sugars increase the risk of significant nerve damage over time. Individuals who regularly lift heavy loads or spend prolonged amounts of time sitting or behind the wheel are also more likely to develop sciatica pain within their lifetime. You may be able to prevent sciatica pain by exercising regularly, maintaining good posture when you sit, and always lifting with your legs while bending only at the knees instead of using your back.
How Does a Doctor Usually Diagnose Sciatica Pain?
Your doctor may be able to diagnose you with sciatica during a physical examination of your muscle strength and reflexes. However, some people with herniated discs or bone spurs may not be aware of them without having a spinal X-ray, MRI, or CT scan ordered. In some cases, electromyography (EMG) testing may be used to diagnose nerve compression caused by spinal stenosis or herniated discs. If left untreated, sciatica pain could cause permanent nerve damage and the loss of bowel or bladder functions. Therefore, it’s essential for your health to get diagnosed and treated as quickly as possible.
What Effective Sciatica Treatment Options Are Available?
Typical sciatica treatment may range from self-care, such as hot and cold packs, stretching, and over-the-counter pain medications, to professional physical therapy, chiropractic care, acupuncture, and steroid injections. Sciatica treatment varies by patient, severity, and the location of the pain. Mild sciatica pain may be fixed with therapy, while more severe sciatica pain may require surgery.
Effective Chiropractic PG County provides a wide range of comprehensive, nonsurgical sciatica treatment and therapy options to help you manage your sciatica pain. These may include Active Release Therapy (ART), dry needling, or therapeutic massages. When you enlist our experts’ care, you can ensure you’ll receive sciatica pain relief as quickly as possible so you can resume your daily activities with ease. We will help you explore all your available treatments before deciding which option is best for your needs. We tailor our treatments to every patient’s unique situation, but our goal is always the same: to help alleviate your pain as effectively as possible.
Experiencing Sciatica Pain? Call Effective Chiropractic Today!
Due to the sciatic nerve’s length, several factors could cause sciatica pain. Discomfort may be felt anywhere along the pathway of your sciatic nerve, but you’ll most likely encounter it along your lower back through your buttocks and down the back of your thigh. Don’t live with this excruciating pain any longer. Seek immediate sciatica treatment from Effective Chiropractic PG County. Contact us today to schedule an appointment in Lanham, Millersville, or Crofton, MD. We’re open on evenings and weekends to accommodate your busy lifestyle. We look forward to alleviating your pain!