Many think that looking for a lasting sciatica relief in Rochester Hills is a lost cause. After all, sciatica, especially the chronic type, lasts for a lifetime. It brings immense pain and discomfort to a patient due to its symptoms, such as radiating lower back pain and muscle spasms. Sometimes, the symptoms also worsen, impairing muscle function and preventing a patient from moving around.
Thankfully, studies and healthcare innovations show a promising future for people diagnosed with sciatica. Check out some basic things about sciatica and key findings from studies on remedies used by patients in our blog below.
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How Does Sciatica Feel?
Anyone seeking sciatica relief in Rochester Hills knows how complex the symptoms can get. Unlike ordinary lower back pain that stems from lifting a heavy load, sciatica causes more worrying problems. Some of these include the following:
- Burning sensation on the lower back that often spreads downwards
- Numbing feeling on the lower part of your body
- Paresthesia or pins and needles sensation in your lower limbs
- Worsening pain each time you move your hips and legs
- Difficulty controlling bowel or bladder
Studies explain that these symptoms happen because of a pinched, irritated, or compressed sciatic nerve. The pinching problem often occurs due to the following:
- Vertebral subluxation
- Bone overgrowth due to osteoarthritis
- A slipped vertebra
- Narrowing spinal canal due to disc degeneration
- Lumbar spine injury
- Cauda equina syndrome
How Bad Can Sciatica Get?
Each patient diagnosed with sciatica can experience varying symptoms. The intensity and frequency of the flareups might also differ, depending on pre-existing health conditions such as degenerative disc disease. For many patients, the pain tends to come and go. However, it can also worsen when exposed to the following triggers:
- Prolonged sitting
- Being obese
- Wearing shoes or clothes that don’t fit well
- Carrying heavy load
- Maintaining a poor posture while walking or sitting
- Physical overexertion
Studies and Findings on Sciatica Remedies
Thousands of patients try to find sciatica relief in Rochester Hills. Some take medications to cope with the discomfort. Others turn to upper cervical care, physical therapy, steroid injections, and surgery. Meanwhile, some patients turn to self-care or home remedies.
So now you might be wondering, what’s the best option for me? While there isn’t a simple way to answer the question, we’d like to show you some key findings on popular sciatica remedies to help you figure out what you should consider for yourself.
Medications and Sciatica – Do They Work?
Most of the time, people in pain reach for prescription or OTC drugs to manage their sciatica pain. According to a study, patients diagnosed with sciatica often use the following medications to cope:
- NSAIDs
- Antidepressants
- Anticonvulsants
- Corticosteroids
- Opiod analgesis
- Muscle relaxants
While most of these medications provide some relief, they fail to address the underlying cause of the pain. They might, however, come in handy when you need to alleviate your symptoms for a brief period.
Physical Therapy: Can It Help with Sciatica Pain?
A randomized trial conducted at the University of Utah Health revealed that sciatica patients who received physical therapy care experienced less intense symptoms. However, the researcher who led the study noted that it’s not a one-size-fits-all approach, and it might not work on some patients.
Do Steroid Injections Work for Sciatica Patients?
Steroid injections are among the remedies that doctors suggest to patients who experience intense and highly debilitating symptoms. Essentially, steroids aim to reduce the production and release of inflammatory chemicals. They can also decrease nerve fiber sensitivity. While patients can take oral steroids to manage pain, doctors often administer these drugs via injections on the affected areas.
However, while steroid injections might relieve pain for several days or weeks, a study argues that it doesn’t offer clear benefits for low back pain management.
Surgery for Sciatica Relief
Some sciatica patients who feel incredibly hopeless about their situation have started considering surgical interventions. A study on sciatica surgery explains it sometimes comes in handy for patients with herniated lumbar discs. It might also help patients who have spinal stenosis or bone spurs.
We highly recommend consulting with your primary healthcare provider. After all, It is an invasive procedure that could cause extensive recovery time or possible complications. Be sure to exhaust other viable options for sciatica relief in Rochester Hills before finally deciding to undergo surgery.
Upper Cervical Care for Sciatica Relief in Rochester Hills
Besides the options for sciatica relief above, upper cervical care is also among the go-to remedies for patients. That’s because it’s a non-invasive and all-natural option. It is also a holistic procedure that aims to restore your body’s overall health by fixing bone misalignments on the upper neck.
A case study on a 45-year old female who got into a car accident revealed bilateral sciatica. Her condition severely affected her life as she couldn’t move her body without experiencing burning or searing pain in her lower back and legs.
She decided to give upper cervical care a try and found that the car collision caused neck subluxation, which ultimately led to the onset of her sciatica. Her upper cervical care doctor made 47 upper cervical chiropractic adjustments spread over 17 months to correct the neck bone alignment.
After completing the adjustments, she noticed significant changes in her sciatica pain. Upper cervical care has helped her resume work, perform household chores, and more.
If you have tried other remedies for sciatica but haven’t seen satisfying results, you can also give upper cervical care a try. Numerous studies demonstrate the effectiveness of upper cervical chiropractic for sciatica, making it a good choice for many hopeless patients.
For more information on how upper cervical care provides sciatica relief in Rochester Hills, you can contact us at Balanced Living Chiropractic & Functional Medicine. We offer NUCCA care or Orthospinology procedures for our patients. Please send us your messages or inquiries online or call at 248-831-0729.
To schedule a complimentary NUCCA consultation, call 248-831-0729 or just click the button below.
If you are outside of the local area, you can find an Upper Cervical Doctor near you at www.uppercervicalawareness.com.