Chiropractic care in Houston by Dr Patrick Price
If you suffer from sciatica, you are one of around 3 million sufferers in North America each year with this condition in their spine and legs. The nerve pain actually originates in the spine and travels down the back of the leg, and if irritated will result in difficulty standing and sitting.
Options for sciatica that people usually seek first are medications and surgery, but this is not always your best choice, plus more damage can be done with an intrusive surgery. If you have the typical pain, numbness or tingling down the back of your leg, you can bet this is Sciatica and you would be willing to do anything to make this pain go away.
Fortunately for you, the best treatment is right here in front of you. Chiropractors could build their entire practice by just treating this one condition. Surgery is not needed for this condition and chiropractors are your new best friend since they spend a great deal of their training just for these type of spinal conditions.
Understanding the Sciatic nerve
It’s important to first understand more about the sciatic nerve and where the problems associated with it come from. The Sciatic nerve is the longest nerve in the body and it forms from the nerve “roots” of the lower back. The nerve runs down your buttock and then goes down your thigh and calf and can travel all the way down to your calf and toes. If the pain has traveled all the way to your toes then a herniated disc is usually involved. If a disc is involved there are peripheral nerves involved and chiropractors will use “dermatomes” to determine which nerve root is involved. A herniated disc will mean that your condition is more severe and will take more time to heal. The disc provides a cushion between the vertebrae in your spine and if a disc bulges (herniates) it will put pressure on a nerve root. We call this a space-occupying lesion and this is painful! If the disc tears, the fluid from the disc can also irritate the nerve root, Pain! Dr. Price has had this condition before and he can tell you, it’s no fun, but help is on the way! This condition actually led Dr. Price to become a chiropractor and the rest is history. Just remember this – Sciatica rarely requires surgery.
Symptoms of Sciatica
- Shooting pain down one hip and thigh only
- Sharp pain that makes if hard to stand or walk
- Pain that gets worse when you sit
- Weakness and numbness down the hip and thigh
- Burning down the leg that is constant
A herniated disc is the most common cause behind sciatica, but it can also be caused by degeneration of the spine or disc in the lumbar region. Wear and tear on the lower spine through the years can also cause these types of symptoms. When taking a deeper look into your condition by your chiropractor he can find other conditions that may be causing your sciatica symptoms. These will include spinal stenosis (a narrowing of the spinal canal), piriformis syndrome (a spasm of the muscle in the buttocks), or spondylolisthesis. Sitting for long periods of time can be the ultimate reason this is happening to you.
What should be done first for Sciatica?
Before treating this condition the FIRST part is to perform a detailed examination.
Next is to perform an X-ray and MRI. Pain killers and anti-inflammatory medication can help, but we encourage patients to not be dependent of them. After your first visit a treatment plan will be devised for you.
Treatment for Sciatica
Ice and heat work wonders along with proper stretches and movements that are specific for this condition. Check out Dr Price’s videos for low back pain.
Dr Price uses high dosages of powerful Proteolytic Enzymes, he has found that enzymes greatly benefit and aid in the decrease of inflammation and pain in patients. Enzymes also will do no harm to your body as strong medications can do.
The question now comes for the treatment? Most of us sit and stand every single day making this condition highly problematic. One of the problems is that the risk for sciatic nerve issues increases with age and the risk for herniated discs or bone spurs can be present. Other health conditions can also contribute to the risk factor; such as diabetes and obesity. Excess weight can affect spinal changes, and sitting for long periods of time due to your occupation.
Leave the tough part up to us. Chiropractic care is the best treatment for Sciatica for many reasons. There are an array of techniques that will ease your pain and symptoms. There are traditional chiropractic adjustments that work great, but Dr. Price is a specialist and has developed his own system of treatment (Applied Kinetic Science). It is a system of Kinesiology which uses a variety of muscle testing techniques to achieve your desired results – getting back to your daily life.
The good news is that you don’t have to take on such an extreme treatment method as surgery. You can choose a less-intrusive approach, such as chiropractic care and adjustments. Chiropractic care is a great choice for sciatica because it can be used to adjust the spine to take pressure off of the nerve. It also makes sure everything is in the proper place for optimal function. In fact, many times Chiropractic adjustments provide the same amount of relief that surgery does for sciatica patients without the intrusion or danger.
When it comes to your sciatica, you don’t have to resort to invasive procedures to relieve your pain. Talk to us about your pain level and get proper adjustments to relieve this condition affecting your daily life.
Support for Chiropractic Care
The chiropractic approach is popular. Consumer Reports surveyed 3,562 back-pain sufferers. More than 80% said they were satisfied with their chiropractic care.
Mayo Clinic’s website states that “Chiropractic adjustments are safe when it’s performed by someone trained and licensed to deliver chiropractic care.”
Safety is a top concern for professional athletes and celebrities; Tiger Woods, Jerry Rice, Jonathan Toews, Sideny Crosby, Sylvester Stallone, Ted Danson, Demi Moore, David Spade.
Here are some of Dr Price’s personal patients – Steven Seagal, Dan Inosanto & James Drury.