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In today’s high-paced online world, many Americans find themselves sitting for long periods and suffering from pain caused by bad posture, prolonged periods of sitting, and moving the body too little. Other professions like construction or manual labor, may require a lot more physical strain that also has repercussions. 

Moving too little and moving incorrectly are two of the most common sources of pain. Bodies in motion and at rest need maintenance and proper healing protocols when things go wrong. Sciatica is a common and yet poorly understood source of pain that affects at least 40% of the population at least once in their lifetime. A chiropractor can be a good entryway to understanding your sciatic pain and even eliminating it. 

The Sciatic Nerve — The Source of the Pain 

The sciatic nerve is long. It runs from the glutes all the way to the foot. It is part of a group or plexus of nerves called the lumbosacral plexus. This nerve is important as it supplies major areas of the thigh, lower leg, and foot and supports much of the mobility in that region. Normally, the sciatic nerve is well shielded by the protection of the buttocks and cannot be felt easily. 

Understanding Sciatic Nerve Pain 

Sciatic pain is often spoken about as just another type of back pain, but there are some differences to note. Because the nerve begins in the lower lumbar spine and runs down the entire leg, a pinch in the nerve can cause shooting pain that extends. When nerves or fibers of the nerves become pinched, the pain will generally manifest as traveling down the leg and feel like a shock, stabbing, or piercing pain. Sciatic pain is not always because of a herniated disk, but this is a common culprit. 

Pain severity varies by case but can be anything from a throbbing annoying pain to unbearable discomfort. 

Common Symptoms of Sciatica 

Diagnosing sciatic nerve pain is an essential first step to understanding the source and cause of your pain. The pain can follow trauma, a slipped disk injury, or it can arise after prolonged periods of bending or sitting. 

The symptoms typically include the following: 

• Pain that originates in the back or buttock and shoots down the leg and even into the foot
• Pain after standing for long periods of time
• Pain when sitting or during movements that require flexing the spine
• The relief of symptoms when walking, lying down, and extension of the spine
• Burning or tingling sensations
• Constant pain on one buttock
• Difficulty standing up due to pain
  

How a Chiropractor Can Treat Your Sciatic Nerve Pain 

The good news about this is that sciatic nerve pain can be treated without invasive treatments and often goes away within a few weeks or months. A chiropractor aims to help your body heal by relieving pressure, correcting posture, etc. 

Some of the treatments a chiropractor might perform for sciatica include:

• Spinal adjustments: A chiropractor focuses on manipulating and adjusting the spine. These movements help restore misaligned aspects of the spine and put them back into place. This will release pressure and restore the healthy flow of blood, which helps with inflammation. 
• Ultrasound: This gentle heat treatment creates sound waves that penetrate deep into tissues. Ultrasound treatment can propel circulation and reduce muscle spasms and swelling. 
• Heat and Cold therapies: Using heat and cold therapies strategically help stimulate the body’s healing mechanisms to accelerate healing. 

Sciatica is also a common malady because it doesn’t have to be kickstarted by trauma or injury. Many people find that one day they begin to feel the shooting pain. When the area is overused or underused, the muscle fibers react. This causes a trigger point or muscle knot. 

Modern Trends Contributing to Back Pain 

According to Forbes, 13 studies concluded “sitting time and activity levels found in those that sit for more than 8 hours a day with no physical activity had a risk of dying similar to the risk of dying  posed by obesity and smoking.” Sitting in a bad posture for long periods of time compresses the disks and increases the risk of herniated disk—which in turn increases the chances for sciatic pain.  

Prevention and strengthening exercises are key in avoiding this pain or exacerbating it. Prevention measures include: 

• Stretching and regular exercise
• Implementing foam rollers
• Using a standing desk to vary position if sitting for too long
• Avoid bending with bad form or picking up heavy objects incorrectly

Find Relief With Non-Invasive Chiropractic Treatments 

​Don’t live with pain. Your body has an incredible power to heal itself. With only some encouragement and realignment, you might find pain decreasing. With mild sciatica, you can find relief without having to turn to powerful painkillers or surgery. Every case is different but a chiropractor can help your back feel better. 

Call Southwest Chiropractic and schedule your appointment today. 

Most of our daily tasks involve the movement of our spine. Sitting down at the computer or dinner table, standing up, turning to grab an item, catching a ball, jumping, running, and everything in between requires the stabilization or movement of our spinal cords. Many of us might not think too much about it until we experience pain, discomfort, or a lack of mobility. Unfortunately today, lower back problems are increasingly common. Many of these cases are related to herniated discs. Despite this being a common injury, back pain can be scary and unnerving. So here’s what you need to know before you take drastic measures like surgery. 

A Closer Look at the Spinal Cord
The human spinal cord is composed of 24 vertebrae and is a vital link between the brain and the body, as it is intricately innervated with nerves and neural activity. The spine is broken up into four sections, the cervical, the thoracic, lumbar, and sacral. Many common injuries occur in the lumbar spine, as it is an area that takes a lot of tension and impact during common movements that we perform every day. 

Common Causes of Spinal Injury and Herniated Discs

The tricky part of herniated discs is that they can happen anywhere, anytime. People have experienced herniated disc injuries while bending down to tie their shoes, to pick up a bag of dog food, or while performing heavy weightlifting exercises. A single strain, injury, or trauma can lead to an injury to your discs. It might happen as a result of wear and tear. 

As the National Center for Biotechnical Information asserts, degeneration is perhaps the most common cause. The disc material degenerates with age meaning even minor movements can cause greater damage. 

There are eight discs in the cervical spine—which most of us know as the neck—and it is a common area for herniated discs after accidents or trauma. The lumbar spine is perhaps the most common area of the spine that sees herniated or bulging disc injuries.
What You Might Feel When You Have a Herniated Disc
Unlike pain that comes from a mechanical dysfunction, pain associated with herniation is usually experienced as a burning or stinging sensation. It may also include:

• Pain caused while you are sitting 
• Radiating pain into your leg (a sign of sciatica) 
• Pain aggravated by certain movements such as bending down, lifting, even coughing and sneezing

Herniated Discs: The Jelly Donut Example​

Most people don’t like to think of their spine as a jelly donut, but it’s a common example. For some, it is helpful in visualizing a herniated disc injury without getting too technical. It’s a useful example, as it allows people to picture how their disc is structured and what happens when it becomes “herniated.” You can think about your discs as cushions that help absorb impact. Their outer layer is made up of tough cartilage, a dense collagenous ring. 

In our donut example, this would be the doughy part of the pastry. The inner jelly filling is the material inside the annulus fibrosus called the nucleus pulposus. When enough pressure is applied, this dense outer layer can crack and cause the nucleus pulposus—i.e jelly filling—to be pushed out, obstructing the path of the spinal nerve which causes inflammation and swelling. 

The Difference Between Herniated Discs and Bulging Discs​

The terms bulging disc and herniated disc are often used interchangeably and are really a similar issue. The term “slipped disc” is also used commonly to refer to either a bulging or herniated disc.  A bulging disc doesn’t always affect the entire disc but only part of it and the herniated disc refers to an injury that involves a crack to the outer layer. 

Treatments for Herniated Discs ​

Herniated disc injuries will interrupt a person’s active lifestyle. A chiropractor will approach the problem through various angles and begin by understanding your medical history, perform a physical exam, and even orthopedic and neurological exams. Sometimes X-rays and MRIs are necessary to pinpoint the precise source of the problem. 

Questions a chiropractor will address as they evaluate your back issue:

• Muscle strength: A sedentary lifestyle or advanced age can lead to degeneration of the muscles which helps protect the back. Addressing muscle strength issues and other mobility problems can help on the road to recovery. 
• Reflexes: When nerves are affected, reflexes do not function as they should. It could be an indication that a disc has ruptured and is messing with a spinal nerve. 
• Loss of sensation: Some people will experience the loss of sensation along a path of a nerve. When this happens, it might indicate that a nerve is being obstructed by a herniated disc. 
• Posture: A chiropractor cares about your overall spine health. Posture can say a lot about possible causes or issues in other parts of your spine.

The Use of Spinal Manipulation

Spinal manipulation sounds intimidating to some people, but it is a very effective technique to get relief from herniated disc pain. This is a hands-on technique and should be performed only by a professional and experienced chiropractor. It requires slow and calculated movements that help the body push the disc back into pain. Patients may hear popping sounds when this happens. This is normal! It is a result of gasses released from the shifting discs. 

Active Recovery 

Your chiropractor may also suggest the performance of certain movements. These exercises are meant to fortify your strength and keep mobility as your body continues to heal. 

Experiencing Back Pain? Get Relief With a Trusted El Paso Chiropractor 

Here, at Southwest Chiropractic, we practice conservative means for healing the spine and other bodily injuries. Loss of mobility is detrimental to a person’s quality of life. Come by today for an assessment of your back pain and how we can help you get back to normal. 

Exercising can help reduce stress and tension in our backs. If you’re exercising regularly, you will probably stretch before and sometimes after your routine. Maintain mobility of your spine by stretching daily and strengthening your core several times a week. Your core muscles need strengthening to support your spine and take the pressure off your lower back. Targeted exercises are the best way to work out your lower back and abdominal muscles. ​

Keeping your body hydrated will maintain soft tissue elasticity and fluidity in joints. The loss of hydration can make your spinal discs begin to shrink, and you can become more prone to painful disk conditions. A herniated disk means a disk has slipped or ruptured when there’s a loss of fluids causing discs to become brittle and slip out of place. ​

Due to the recent events regarding Covid-19, we would like you to know that Southwest Chiropractic is taking the following precautions in conjunction with other healthcare providers. As such, we ask that only the patient that is being treated and his/her ride or companion come to the appointment. We also ask that if you are not feeling well or have recently traveled or been around people who may have been exposed, not come to your appointment. We thank you in advance for your cooperation.

We are still open and taking patients at both our east and west locations. We are also accepting new patients. As we take in patients, we are concurrently taking ALL precautions to keep our patients and staff safe and healthy during this time. We are abiding by all distancing rules and will only allow a few patients at a time in any one area of the clinic to avoid contact with each other. We still look forward to serving the people of El Paso. 

Again, if any patient feels ill or has traveled within the last two weeks, they are advised to please refrain from coming in at this time.

Additionally, we are more than happy to provide documentation for our patients that they were here attending their therapy sessions if ever they get questioned for being outdoors.