Sciatica occurs when the longest and widest nerve in the body – the sciatic nerve – is pressed or trapped in some way. This can lead to sharp pain or weakness in your lower back, leg, or foot. Most of the time, sciatic pain is only temporary and goes away on its own after 4 to 6 weeks. But if it lasts longer than that, you need to narrow down the reason as soon as possible so that you can find relief. Below are 6 possible causes for prolonged sciatica in Culver City.
1. Injury
A common reason for sciatic pain is an injury of the nerve. If the initial symptoms fade but come back later, it could mean that you have reaggravated the injured area. A chiropractor can locate the injury and take steps to aid the healing process as well as make it less likely to repeat the injury in the future.
2. Herniated Disc
The vast majority of sciatica cases are caused by a herniated disc. When the discs between your vertebrae are torn or bulge out from their normal position, they can end up pinching the sciatic nerve. Herniated discs can be treated with spinal decompression therapy, taking some of the pressure off the affected discs and nerves so that they have a chance to recover.
3. Bone Spurs
A bone spur is an area where there has been extra bone growth. If these growths extend far enough, they can end up pinching the sciatic nerve. Oftentimes, bone spurs are a side effect of osteoarthritis or an injury that a chiropractor can help you treat.
4. Spinal Misalignment
The pressure on the sciatic nerve may be coming from a spine that is improperly aligned. Spinal misalignment can sometimes be corrected with stretches and body weight exercises, but in many cases your chiropractor may recommend spinal decompression and chiropractic adjustments to address the problem.
5. Wear and Tear
Sometimes your spine hasn’t been injured in any way but has simply worn down over time, which in turn can lead to chronic sciatic nerve compression. A chiropractor can help you figure out steps to avoid further wear as well as how to correct the current problem.
6. An Underlying Health Problem
Some conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure can affect the body’s ability to heal properly and thus cause sciatic pain to last longer than usual. You should talk to your regular physician as soon as possible to figure out how to manage these issues.
Sciatica can be extremely painful, but you don’t have to force yourself to live with it for the rest of your life. Get in touch with a chiropractor as soon as you can so that you can find relief sooner instead of later.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dr. Brigitte Rozenberg completed her training at the Cleveland Chiropractic College. As a Board-Certified Chiropractor in California, she has been recognized for offering non-surgical spinal decompression therapy as a solution for sciatica and other forms of pain. If you have sciatic pain that has lasted longer than it should, you can schedule a consultation with Dr. Rozenberg at Spinatomy by visiting our website or calling (310) 299-0472.
