About sciatica & how we can help
If you’re suffering from sciatica, you’re not alone. You are one of millions of Americans searching for a solution. And you’ve come to the right place if you’re checking out Holistic Health & Chiropractic of Frankfort.
What is Sciatica?
Sciatica is an old term that describes a burning, tingling or numbness sensation that starts in the lower back and runs down the buttocks down the leg. If you’ve ever experienced this, you’ll know exactly how this feels.
A lot of people think that any pain in the lower back or buttocks is sciatica but that’s not necessarily the case. True sciatica is pain that radiates from the back/hip down the back of the leg past the knee. Pain that stops before the knee could be similar in sensation but more of a referred type of pain and not a true radicular symptom.
In addition to burning, tingling or numbness sensation, true sciatica will make it difficult to walk, put weight on the affected leg, make bending over or even lifting your leg very difficult and may make the pain worse.
Causes of Sciatica Pain
Sciatica pain can have several causes such as:
- Vertebra or the pelvic bones being out of alignment causing pressure on the nerves
- Disc bulge/Herniation
- Pressure on the nerves from tight muscles such as the piriformis
- Pregnancy
- Tumors, cysts, or other growths
- Spinal stenosis
- Normal wear- and – tear of the body (arthritis, degeneration)
There can be more than one cause for sciatica. It’s not unusual for a person to have a combination of disc bulge with a tight piriformis muscle as well as a misalignment of the Sacroiliac joint which can cause pressure on the nerve, not only causing burning, numbness and pain, but also making it difficult for the person to walk, sit, get up from sitting or bend over. All things we suggest you minimize if you find yourself in this situation.
Assessment and Diagnosis
We use some old school as well as new, modern methods to assess for sciatica, these include;
- Lumbar Range of Motion studies: Many times, a person will have less mobility in certain movements and cause an increase in the pain.
- Orthopedic tests: We maneuver the person, their body and even their legs in specific positions to see if it reproduces the pain. If it does, we have a better idea of the underlying cause.
- Neurologic tests: Simple reflex tests like taps on the knee or ankle can tell us the severity of the condition.
- Diagnostic tests: X-rays and MRIs are frequently used tests to see the anatomical structures of the bones, their alignment and the soft tissues like the discs to gain a better understanding of how severe the condition is and what would be the best course of treatment.
Treatment for Sciatica Pain
For many people suffering from sciatica, chiropractic is a primary method of treatment. Think about it, if a bone or joint is misaligned it needs to be put back and re-aligned. And there are several ways to do this; some adjustments (re-alignments) are performed by hand, some with an instrument and others by the use of a specialized table.
Because Holistic Health & Chiropractic of Frankfort is an alternatively oriented office, they have other tools in their tool chest so to speak. They use physical modalities like ultrasound, electric muscle stimulation and active exercise rehab maneuvers to help reduce pain and restore mobility. They also have tools like acupuncture and cold laser to help reduce pain and inflammation. Dr. Heyer has found that using a combination of these tools is usually the most effective way to relieve the patient’s pain, restore and stabilize their spine and guide them towards overall wellness.
That’s why Dr. Jon K. Heyer, D.C. feels it’s important to properly assess the reason for YOUR lower back pain! And then design a plan to alleviate your pain and help you reach your goals.
There are even a few things that can be done at home! Click here to find out the 5 do’s and don’t for lower back pain.
Holistic Health & Chiropractic Care in Frankfort, IL
Ready to find relief for your sciatica?
Tired of dealing with constant sciatica pain? At Holistic Health & Chiropractic of Frankfort, we specialize in addressing the root causes of sciatica, providing personalized care to help you find lasting relief. Our expert chiropractor, Dr. Jon K. Heyer, D.C., is here to help. Discover the difference chiropractic care can make in your life.
Our chiropractor can help today! Call us to schedule an appointment at: (815) 469-7472
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Frequently Asked Questions about sciatica
- Pain. This pain happens when there is pressure on the nerves. Most people describe sciatica pain as burning, tingling (pins and needles), and numbness starting in the lower back and then radiating down into the buttocks and legs. Some also experience muscle weakness.
- Difficulty walking, standing on the affected side, sitting, getting up from sitting and bending may aggravate the pain and could indicate a sciatic problem.
- Spinal decompression: relieve pressure on the nerves
- Chiropractic adjustments: realign the spine
- Physical modalities like ultrasound, electric muscle stimulation and active exercise rehab maneuvers to help reduce pain and restore mobility. They also have tools like acupuncture and cold laser to help reduce pain and inflammation.
- Natural anti-inflammatories
The amount of time depends solely on each person, everyone is different. It depends on the severity of the condition. Some patients will feel relief in just one session, while others may take many months.
True sciatica is pain, burning, numbness, tingling that starts at the lower back/buttock region and travels down the leg, past the knee and sometimes into the foot and toes. If your pain doesn’t go past the knee, you may have similar symptoms that you feel in your buttocks or back of leg but if it doesn’t go below the knee.
The pain and symptoms of sciatica may resolve on their own. However, the more episodes of sciatica you have indicate the underlying causes have not been addressed and corrected. The longer the causes go unaddressed, the bigger the problem will be in the future.
Please see our page on the 5 do’s and don’ts for lower back pain here for suggestions on what you can do at home to help alleviate your pain.
Services & Techniques
Our Other Services
At Holistic Health & Chiropractic of Frankfort, we take great pride in providing the finest chiropractic wellness care to our patients. Here is a sampling of the different chiropractic services we offer in our FRANKFORT office.
Holistic Health & Chiropractic of Frankfort
| Monday | 9:00 - 1:00 | 3:00 - 6:00 |
| Tuesday | Closed | 3:00 - 6:00 |
| Wednesday | 9:00 - 1:00 | 3:00 - 6:00 |
| Thursday | 9:00 - 1:00 | 3:00 - 6:00 |
| Friday | Closed | Closed |
| Saturday | 9:00 - 1:00 | Closed |
| Sunday | Closed | Closed |