Chiropractor in Kansas City Helps Patients with Sciatica

 Do you have hip pain?  Does it travel down the back of your leg?  Does it stop at the knee? Or go all the way down to your ankle or foot?  

Theses are all common symptoms of sciatica and are some of the questions I always ask patients when they come into the office complaining of back pain or hip pain. 

What is sciatica? 

It is irritation or inflammation of the sciatic nerve that travels down the back of the leg.  With many Chiropractic patients, I find that this is a result of misalignments in the pelvis and spine.  Once the misalignment has been around for awhile, the muscles of the hips and legs tend to become tight and tender, and sometimes even spasm.  Some patients can hardly put weight on the affected leg because the sciatic pain is so intense.  Other patients, if their problem is caught early, may have some tenderness in their hip muscles and a light tingling feeling in the buttock on the side of tenderness.  The severity of the sciatica symptoms can vary a lot from patient to patient, and can also change intensity quickly depending on their position.  Sometimes sitting is worse, and sometimes standing for long periods of time is worse.  The positions of comfort and discomfort depend a lot on the way the pelvis has misaligned and the amount of inflammation that is in the tissue surrounding the joints. Other causes of sciatica are spinal disc irritation or disc bulges, and in severe trauma, a pelvic fracture can also cause sciatic pain. 

 What can a Chiropractor do for sciatica?

Chiropractors are trained to detect misalignments aka subluxations in the spine and joints of the body.  The subluxations in the body often create symptoms like dull achy pain, swelling, tingling, numbness, and sharp shooting pain.  In many patients, the muscles of the body kick into a protective mode and tighten and spasm in order to prevent a patient from further hurting themselves. 

A Chiropractor will check the patient for subluxations and then adjust the spine and any other joints that need attention.  This adjustment realigns the joint space, reducing the irritation and interference on the nerves that travel in that particular area.  This allows the nervous system to communicate more effectively with the rest of the body, and the function of your entire body improves. 

How soon will I see improvement with Chiropractic treatments?

Each patient is different, so it is not possible to suggest that a set amount of Chiropractic adjustments will be right for every person.  Following a thorough consultation and examination, a Chiropractor like myself will make recommendations for care based upon several factors:

-severity of pain

-severity of misalignments or subluxations

-length of time that you have had the symptoms

In the past, I have found that most patients will see improvement within 1-3 visits, but the amount of Chiropractic care needed to return them to 100% varies depending on the factors I just listed above.  The sooner that you seek out a Chiropractor for your sciatic nerve pain, the faster it can resolve.  A patient that has had sciatica for only a couple of days tends to respond faster than a patient that has suffered for months or years. 

Will I need to get a Chiropractic adjustment even after my sciatica has healed?

Again, there is not one right answer for each patient.  After a patient has healed, we will have a conversation and based upon factors like:

-stress

-sleeping posture

-type of work (manual labor, lifting, twisting, desk job, parent of small children that need to be carried, athlete, etc.)

-amount of water you drink each day

-how well you eat and keep your blood sugar stable

I will make recommendations for potential future Chiropractic care.  Many patients enjoy their treatments so much, and want to keep feeling great, that they return periodically for a wellness visit.  I have worked with many athletes who know the importance of always maintaining good alignment.  As more people discover the value of wellness and prevention, I have a larger percentage of patients that choose to have regular Chiropractic care.  It is amazing to see the improvement in a patients' ability to perform in athletics, their job, and ability to focus!  The choice is up to you. You only have one body, and it's always easier to maintain a healthy body than to repair a sick one! 

Better Health is Only a Phone Call Away!

 Dr. Kristine Baker

816-256-3603

Click here to visit our Facebook Page