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Not only can 84 percent of the population expect to experience back pain at some point in their lives, but, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center, roughly 66 percent of those individuals will likely have recurrent back problems within one year of the onset of pain.1 Additionally, one of the most common back pain-causing conditions is sciatica, which makes treating this particular issue a priority for a large number of people around the world who want a higher quality of life.
Sciatica defined
Sciatica is diagnosed when there is some sort of impingement on the sciatic nerve, such as by disc herniation, which is “nine out of ten cases” according to HEALTHbeat, a Harvard Health Publication. The sciatic nerve is a nerve that begins in the lower portion of the back and continues down the leg. And although impingement has a high propensity of being caused by spinal misalignment, other issues such as a tumor, abscess, or some sort of neurological disorder can also be to blame.2
Sometimes sciatica causes intense pain that makes it difficult to function, and other times it is a nagging, dull ache. The condition can also create numbness or tingling in any portion of the lower body, from the back and buttocks to the legs and toes.
Certain actions can make sciatica worse or more pronounced, such as spending a long time either standing or sitting (thereby placing more pressure on the impinged area of the spine), bending backwards, sneezing or otherwise jarring your body suddenly, or walking any sort of distance.
Sciatica treatment using drop tables
Because sciatica is a byproduct of a sciatic nerve that is impinged, the key to effective treatment involves realigning the spine so the nerve is no longer disrupted in any way. This allows the central nervous system to operate, while reducing pain at the same time. One way to achieve this goal is by a chiropractic drop table.
Drop tables offer health professionals a non-invasive, less forceful solution, as trained chiropractors are able to use gravity to help get the spine back into place. Additionally, for people who are larger in size or find it difficult to move around easily, drop tables provide a results-provoking treatment method that doesn’t require a lot of effort on the patient’s part.
Research-proven results
A study published in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics concluded that spinal manipulation works well when treating sciatica. Researchers studied 120 patients who were referred for surgery to resolve their sciatica. They found that 60 percent of the patients who hadn’t experienced relief with medical intervention were able to make the same gains with chiropractic that they would have obtained had they gone through with surgery. Chiropractic was able to provide the participants with positive results without having to endure what is generally a painful and costly surgical procedure and recovery.3
To find out how spinal manipulations can help you ease your sciatica, contact your local chiropractor today. Relief is just a “drop” away.
References
1Simon H. “Back pain and sciatica.” University of Maryland Medical Center. http://umm.edu/health/medical/reports/articles/back-pain-and-sciatica. Reviewed May 2012. Updated September 2013. Accessed January 2015.
2Harvard Health Publications. “Getting a leg up on sciatica.” HEALTHbeat. http://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/HEALTHbeat_020309.htm. Published February 2009. Accessed January 2015.
3Casha S, du Plessis SJ, Hurlbert RJ, McMorland G, Suter E. “Manipulation or microdiskectomy for sciatica? A prospective randomized clinical study.” J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2010:33(8);576-584.
