Sciatica is a painful condition that can wreak havoc on your body. The symptom starts in your lower back region at the beginning of your sciatic nerve. This pain travels down the nerve into each leg. Typically, the cause of this predicament is from a herniated disk. However, other explanations can be a bone spur in your spine, a tumor pushing on the sciatic nerve or complications from diabetes. A chiropractic treatment for sciatica may help relieve some of the pain.

Sciatica Treatment Options

Tens Unit    

A Tens Unit is a device that sends small electrical pulses into your body. You can purchase the product for home use. Attach the sticky pads to the place where you are feeling the most pain. You can adjust the settings on the machine for optimal performance. Some people need more juice to relieve the pain while others just need a little. The Tens Unit will continue to send micro-electric shocks in intervals. Your chiropractor will have a more powerful Tens Unit in their office that could relieve the pain more successfully than your home unit.    

Ice and Heat Therapy    

Ice or cold packs reduce inflammation in muscles. Once the pain starts, apply cold packs to the painful areas for 20 minutes at a time. You can purchase gel packs that strap to your body for more convenience. After three days, switch to heat packs. Heat packs help your blood flow more freely as well as reduce muscle spasms. Repeat as often as needed to reduce the pain.    

Chiropractor    

A chiropractor is useful for many reasons when it comes to chiropractic treatment for sciatica. They can diagnose the underlying cause of your nerve pain as well as relieve some or most of the pain. To help alleviate the ache, the chiropractor will adjust your back. This method is safe and helps to realign your spine. Vertebrates that are out of sync can cause a slew of problems. The doctor may also use an ultrasound machine to infiltrate your muscles to reduce the pain.