Suffering from Sciatica in Shawnee, KS
Are you suffering from sciatica? Sciatic pain is pain that radiates from the back or buttocks all the way down the legs. Sciatic pain symptoms may feel like numbness, shooting, or tingling. Dr. Amanda Wappelhorst, D.C. a Shawnee chiropractor is happy to help so that don't have to suffer with the pain of sciatica. An untreated sciatic condition can continue to worsen and make the daily tasks of living go from difficult to impossible.
Sciatica in Shawnee
Many people wonder what sciatica feels like? Sciatica can present with similar symptoms as a disc herniation/bulge but the symptoms will be directly related to interference with the sciatic nerve. Sciatic pain can show up in different areas of the leg and foot, and many times the pain will come and go. Patients can feel slight discomfort or have extreme unbearable pain. The pain typically intensify as the problem goes unchecked.
How Does Sciatic Pain Develop?
Sciatica, which is also known as sciatic neuralgia, is a condition that causes pain in the lower back, down the back of the leg, and into the foot.
Biomechanical Dysfunction
Inhibition of muscles from poor training and postures cause biomechanical dysfunction and overuse of the wrong areas of our spine. Overtime this leads to an injury.
We develop inappropriate muscle activation from our lifestyle postures. Our body loses it natural ability to "brace" or use our core abdominal muscles. We start to develop hinge points in our spine. We tend to overuse these hinge points and irritate our back muscles and discs causing related injuries.
Disc Injury
Sciatica is most commonly caused by disc injuries and bulges. In this occurrence, the disc presses against the nerve root causing the issue. The sciatic nerve originates in the lumbar spine and extends into the buttocks before traveling down the leg to the ankle and foot.
Disc injuries can vary in size and type. The type and size of the disc injury can cause different amounts of sciatic nerve root irritation and compression. Disc injuries can occur because of poor posture, repetitive use injuries, or accidents.
Sciatica is most commonly caused by disc injuries and bulges. In this occurrence, the disc presses against the nerve root causing the issue. The sciatic nerve originates in the lumbar spine and extends into the buttocks before traveling down the leg to the ankle and foot.
Disc injuries can vary in size and type. The type and size of the disc injury can cause different amounts of sciatic nerve root irritation and compression. Disc injuries can occur because of poor posture, repetitive use injuries, or accidents.
Misalignment
Sciatica is also common when there are subluxations (misalignments) in the spine due to postural issues, pregnancy, or trauma.
Compression of the sciatic nerve causes pain to radiate down the back of the thigh and down the leg. This nerve originates in the lumbar spine and extends into the buttocks before traveling down the leg to the ankle and foot. When the vertebrae in the low back are compressed, the roots of the sciatic nerve can become pinched and irritated which is what causes the radicular pain and injury.
Piriformis Syndrome
Piriformis syndrome is pain and numbness in your buttocks and down the back of your leg. It occurs when the piriformis muscle in the buttocks presses on the sciatic nerve.
Our Additional Therapies
Additional chiropractic therapies are used along with the chiropractic adjustment to increased blood flow, improved range of motion (ROM), reduce muscle tension, stimulate lymphatics, and create relaxation. These therapies help provide relaxation and comfort for joint manipulation or the chiropractic adjustment.
Dry Needling
Dry needling is a trigger point therapy that is used to treat pain and movement impairments. The technique uses a "dry" needle, one without medication or injection, inserted through the skin into areas of the muscle.
Myofascial Release Therapy
(MFR) is useful for treating skeletal muscle immobility and pain by relaxing contracted muscles, improving blood and lymphatic circulation, and stimulating the stretch reflex in muscles
Soft-Tissue Instrument-Assisted Mobilization
(IASTM) is a myofascial intervention used for soft-tissue treatment. The stainless-steel Instruments effectively break down fascial restrictions and scar tissue.
Cupping Therapy
Cupping is performed to dispel stagnation (stagnant blood and lymph), thereby improving tissue healing potential.
Electric Muscle Stimulation Therapy
(EMS) or E-stim is a type of therapy modality that applies an electrical current to help fatigue or strengthen muscles, block pain signals, and improve blood circulation.
Therapeutic Ultrasound
Ultrasound therapy is used to increase blood flow of the treatment area. Decreases pain by reducing swelling and edema. Softens and breaks down scar tissue with gentle massage of muscle tendons and/ or ligaments.
Traction/
Decompression Therapy
Spinal Decompression Therapy helps reduce of pressure on the spinal and discs which can compress on one or more nerve roots passing through or exiting the spinal column.
Roller Traction Therapy
Intersegmental traction also known as a Roller table is a therapy that helps by relaxing spinal muscles and reducing the muscle spasms.
