Natural Treatment for Sciatica Pain in Torrance?

Written by Dr. Brad Barez, CCSP, QME, IDE.

Sciatica or Sciatic pain is a common problem for many Torrance chiropractic patients. It can be identified with pain that starts in your lower back, hips, leg, buttocks, and even traveling into one or both legs. The pain may be constant, or come and go with or without movement.

The sciatic pain can be very painful, and can even be unbearable. Patients may have associated numbness, loss of motion, burning, or even tingling sensations. Most people think is normal to have this type of pain. However, pain is not normal. Pain is the body telling you there is something wrong. When people get pain radiating into these areas, this indicates there is pressure building on these sciatic nerves.

The lower three nerves of the low back are called lumbar nerves or lumbar L4, L5, and Sacral 1 nerves. The last three nerves come out of the lower spine and control and coordinate the lower legs, hips, and even the ankles and toes. Most patients do not have symptoms in all of the areas mentioned, but usually one to two regions.

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The Problem Causing Sciatica in Torrance

Sciatica is usually caused by one of two mechanical structures interfering with the above sciatic nerves. The most common cause of sciatica pain is a vertebral bone compressing directly on one or more of the spinal nerves. When a patient compresses these nerves beyond their pain threshold, the body will elicit a symptom such as sciatica. This problem is called the subluxation complex.

The second most common cause of sciatica is a spinal disc compressing on one or more of the spinal nerve roots previously mentioned. When the spinal disc compresses the nerves hard enough to pass pain thresholds, sciatic nerve pain will develop. Remember, the ONLY way a spinal disc can compress or be unbalanced is if the vertebrae above and below the spinal disc are misaligned, therefore compressing one or more of the above nerves.

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The Safe Solution to Sciatica

Finding a good Chiropractor to treat the cause of sciatica is very important. Most treating Doctors treat the symptoms of sciatica, which causes long-term problems and at best temporary relief. A good Chiropractor will identify where the compression or interference of the nerve is using Chiropractic, orthopedic, neurological, and x-ray testing. Sometimes an MRI will need to be performed. Most examinations take between 30-60 minutes for good results.

Next, once the cause of the interference of the sciatic nerve is found, a good Chiropractor will use gentle Chiropractic manipulation to decompress the nerves that are causing the problems. Usually, relief is very fast. If the problem has been developing over a period of time, it could take a couple of months to recover. Additionally, Chiropractors work with the soft tissue around the spine using various physical therapy techniques, and functional stretching and strengthening exercises.

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The Hidden Danger of Sciatica Treatment

Most people know when a sensory nerve is compressed hard enough. When a sensory nerve is compressed beyond their pain threshold, they will feel symptoms. When spinal nerves are compressed, most of the compression of these nerves control “autonomic function.” For example, when patients compress one or more of the spinal nerves in the lower spine, immediately this shuts down the life to the organs such as the reproductive organs, bladder, and prostate of a male. Patients may or may not ever feel the effects of these organs functioning less until it is too late.

The danger of treating sciatica with pain medication is that the inhibition of these nerves is dangerous to the body. When a spinal nerve is compressed physically, the solution should be to physically decompress this nerve. Medications inhibit the spinal nerves, therefore allowing a patient to feel better, but the problem remains the same and will get worse over time. The real solution is to physically decompress these nerves as much as the body will allow. This will not only make patients feel better but will restore normal function back to the body.

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The New Patient Offer

Back to Healthcare Chiropractic has been treating sciatica safely and effectively since 1994. Even before 1994, the owner’s mom was a Registered Physical Therapist trained out of UCLA who was treating sciatica with great success. Our practice has a systematic way of treating sciatica or sciatic nerve pain using advanced, but gentle Chiropractic techniques, and proprietary Physical Therapy techniques.

Our patients love using the new patient offer. They get a history, examination, report of findings by the Doctor, and x-rays if needed for a very affordable price. We do take most insurance, but we found most chose to pay out of pocket to avoid deductibles and the various insurance limitations. At Back to Healthcare Chiropractic, we always make getting healthy affordable.