Sciatica

The city of Plano, Texas, is Texas ninth largest city and a major part of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. This ever expanding community has hundreds of thousands of people living within its city limits and amongst them, there are a lot of people suffering with chronic back pain associated with sciatica. If you are one of these individuals you may be on the market for services that will help you alleviate this pain and allow you to function daily with ease.

Sciatica

That sharp pain that is emanating from your back or buttocks and works its way down your leg may be sciatica. If you are suffering from sciatica, there are a lot of great doctors’ clinics to choose from in Plano, Texas. There are many therapies and treatments that will help alleviate the problem. In fact, you will want to treat this condition as soon as you can, or it will worsen and may make everyday errands and work extremely difficult.

This condition is also known as sciatica neuralgia, and it stems from the lower back. Typically, the beginning of this condition may feel like a lower back pain problem, but it can evolve into much more serious symptoms and pain. As we said, this pain travels from the lower back and upper buttocks area and through the legs.

It is compressing the sciatic nerve, which is the longest nerve in the body. It starts in the lumbar region of the spine and then extends all the way down into your foot. The pain you are experiencing is caused by the vertebrae in your lower back compressing, and this then pinches the sciatic nerve. This nerve can stay pinched and cause severe pain and irritation.

So, how do you end up with this condition? There are many ways that you may end up suffering from this severe pain. The primary cause of sciatica is an injury to your disc or bulging of those discs. This causes the disc to press against the nerve, which causes a sharp pain to radiate through your body. Disc injuries can be the result of poor posture, accidents, or even repetitive injuries. The most common cause of sciatica is misalignments in the spine caused by poor posture, and this condition can strike with little to no warning.

Some other causes of sciatica:

• Lumbar Spinal Stenosis (thinning of the spinal canal in the lumbar area)
• Degenerative Disc Disease (discs break down, which cushions the vertebrae)
• Spondylolisthesis (vertebrae slip over each other)
• Pregnancy
• Muscle spasms
• Excessive weight
• Lack of exercise
• Wearing high heels
• Poor mattress

Symptoms

Though it may not seem that way, there are plenty of symptoms and warnings you can look for that may head off the pain before it gets too severe. Here are some of those warning signs:

• Consistent lower back pain
• Pain radiating from the hip
• Tingling or burning down your leg
• Numbness, or issues moving your leg or foot
• Consistent pain in one side of your buttocks
• Searing pain that makes it hard to stand

Treatment Options

If you are dealing with sciatica in Plano, Texas, there are many clinics and doctors that will offer several options for therapy. The idea of using these therapies is to help build better mobility and lessen the pain caused by sciatica. This can include rest, physical therapy, and medicinal treatments. Each person will need a personalized therapy regimen.

Here is a more in-depth look at these treatments, which are available in Plano, Texas area:

Medicine

You can often treat sciatica with pain and anti-inflammatory medications. Your doctor may suggest using NSAIDs like aspirin or ibuprofen, which can be purchased over the counter. For more severe situations, they may want to prescribe something a little stronger. With a full examination, your doctor will be able to decide the right course of action for you.

Physical Therapy

Your physician will craft a physical therapy program that will be geared to lessen the sciatic pain through the reduction of pressure on the nerve itself. This may include many traditional exercises, such as stretches to help with the flexibility of the tightened muscles. It might also include walking. This physical therapy routine will be intended to strengthen the areas that are affected by this condition.

Spinal Injections

One method of treatment that is available is cortisone injections. This is an anti-inflammatory that can help decrease inflammation and swelling of the nerves. This will help increase mobility and allow you to build strength in these regions.

Surgery

Always the last resort of any doctor, the final treatment option is surgery. This is for those that have severe and chronic issues with their sciatica. There are multiple surgeries that may be discussed with you. Here are the two main surgeries that may be used to treat your sciatica:

Microdiscectomy: This minimally invasive surgery is done to remove fragments of the herniated disc that could be agitating your sciatica. The procedure starts with a small incision, and then the surgeon will gently remove the fragments with a scissor-like instrument. Once the fragments are removed, you are then stitched up. This is same day or next day discharge procedure. The recovery time on this treatment is minimal, as well. Typically, you will be completely healed within 24 hours.

Laminectomy: This procedure is used to relieve some of the compression that may be being applied to the spinal cord. The lamina is a bone that plays a part in creating the form of the curve in the spine. At this time, they may also remove any fragments that are present. This surgery is more severe than the one above and will be done under anesthesia. This procedure is done with a small incision, then the surgeon will carefully remove the appropriate fragments. Then, the incision will be stitched up. This surgery takes multiple hours and will require two to four months of recovery time.

If you are suffering from any of the symptoms above and feel you need to find the right treatment, then make sure to fill out the below form completely. This will help us find the right option for you and your pain needs.

Areas served

If you are looking for a chiropractor, you will be able to find these services in Plano, Texas. Other areas we currently serve are:

• Allen
• Frisco
• McKinney
• Richardson
• Carrollton

Get in Touch with a Chiropractor in Plano, Texas today!

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