Sciatica
What is Sciatica?
Sciatica describes the pain caused by inflammation of the sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve is the longest in the body, formed by the bottom of the spinal cord in the lower back and running down the legs into the feet to deliver information about movements and sensations to and from the brain.
Sciatica occurs when this nerve is compressed, causing back pain, cramping, numbness and shooting pains down the legs. When suffering from sciatica, you may find it difficult and uncomfortable to move around or perform any number of otherwise regular activities.
The Cause of Sciatica
While sciatica can affect anyone of any age, it is commonly seen in those between 30 and 50. Back injuries and repetitive strain can lead to the irritation of the sciatic nerve that causes sciatica, but the reason for the condition it isn’t always as obvious as a recent injury.
A herniated disc is one of the most common causes of sciatica, occurring when the cushion that rests between the vertebrae of the spine ruptures, pushing outside of its normal boundary and pinching the nerves and spinal cord. This can happen after a fall or accident or with repetitive strain placed on the spine.
Spinal stenosis is another diagnosis that can cause sciatica. With age, the space around the spinal cord can begin to shrink, causing constriction and irritation. Spinal stenosis is often attributed to arthritis, but inflammation, calcification of spinal ligaments and other complications can cause this painful nerve compression.
Sciatica Relief
There are a number of reasons that sciatica occurs so it’s important to first determine the source of your pain. While most cases are easily resolved, it’s important that you ensure there are no underlying issues in your lower back.
Muscle relaxants and anti-inflammatories will often be recommended by a doctor to help treat sciatica after the source of the pain has been diagnosed.
Relieving the pain of sciatica through massage and chiropractic is a recommended way to see yourself on the road to recovery. At Velca, we can help you work through the pain, providing relief and helping to build a strong resistance to further spinal complications through strengthening and fitness training.
Our focus on strengthening, fitness and exercise will further help you to break free from pain and ensure that you don’t suffer from sciatica again. Building strength in the lower back and living healthy is the best way to avoid future damage to your sciatic nerve.
Most people who suffer from sciatica will recover completely within three months, but sometimes the pain can point to something more serious – even permanent nerve damage is a possibility if left untreated. Velca Health Centre work to help create a healthier you, free from pain and ready to enjoy life to its full; we can help to diagnose the source of your pain and will refer you to a health professional when needed.
You can fight the pain that sciatica causes and stop the suffering through our unique Velca Method.
Correct – Relax – Strengthen - Maintain
At Velca, we approach pain with a multi-step method that aims to correct, relax, strengthen and maintain the body – supporting good health and providing permanent solutions rather than temporary fixes. Through a mix of our services, you’ll find that the Velca Method is by far the most effective to ease suffering and inspire healthy living.
Chiropractic – Through chiropractic care, we aim to correct spinal dysfunction, bad posture and habits that lead to pain. The chiropractic services we offer are the first step to identifying problems, alleviating suffering and breaking free from pain.
Massage Therapy – Helping you to relax, loosen the muscles and find relief, massage therapy is our second step that improves circulation and works pain out of the body. Relaxing is a key part of eliminating pain while it paves the way to improve your overall health and well being.
Physiotherapy - Aims to restore function and independence in people who have a condition caused by physical, neurological or cardio-respiratory disorders. Through a combination of massage, exercise and mobilisation, physiotherapy can improve mobility, functional ability, and overall quality of life.
Personal strength and fitness training – Fortifying the body through personal fitness and better health, our fitness programs are tailored to you to help strengthen the body and prevent pain from returning. We want to enable you to break free from pain to live a healthier, more enjoyable life.
Visit the Velca Health Centre in Howick for a holistic approach to your well being. We don’t just offer chiropractic services, we work to better your life in every aspect by improving your health and preventing pain from returning. Break free from pain – call us today to find relief through chiropractic care, massage therapy, physiotherapy, personal training, and a positive focus on fitness and health.
FREE CHECK!
If you are unsure about which of our services is best suited to help you get better, please ask us about our complimentary no charge check ups.