Advances in medical science may allow for a non-surgical solution to your sciatic pain, and avoiding surgery is always the best tact when possible.
A chiropractor is not strictly speaking a medical doctor, but he can provide relief for sciatica if the cause is related to muscle weakness or tightness. One common cause of sciatica is trigger points or knots in your muscles that irritate the sciatic nerve. If this is your issue commonly caused by sitting too much or over-stimulation , then a chiropractor will be able to do wonders for your health that medication could never manage.
Typically, it will take a chiropractor four visits to fix issues related to the sciatic nerve. This form of physical rehabilitation does have limitations, so make sure you find a chiropractor who understands these limitations and does not try to tackle medical issues that are beyond his scope. The sort of doctor who will ultimately treat your sciatica is determined, of course, by the source of your issue. Begin with a family physician or a chiropractor and then move on to another medical specialist from there if necessary.
Once your acute pain improves, your doctor or a physical therapist can design a rehabilitation program to help you prevent future injuries. This typically includes exercises to correct your posture, strengthen the muscles supporting your back and improve your flexibility.
In some cases, your doctor might recommend injection of a corticosteroid medication into the area around the involved nerve root. Corticosteroids help reduce pain by suppressing inflammation around the irritated nerve. The effects usually wear off in a few months. The number of steroid injections you can receive is limited because the risk of serious side effects increases when the injections occur too frequently.
This option is usually reserved for when the compressed nerve causes significant weakness, loss of bowel or bladder control, or when you have pain that progressively worsens or doesn't improve with other therapies. Surgeons can remove the bone spur or the portion of the herniated disk that's pressing on the pinched nerve. For most people, sciatica responds to self-care measures. Although resting for a day or so may provide some relief, prolonged inactivity will make your signs and symptoms worse.
While neurologists can manage the nerves, sciatica is sometimes caused by a more aggressive issue in the spine, like a herniated disc or degenerative disc disease. In these cases, an orthopedic doctor will be able to step in and examine the spine. These doctors often determine if surgery is needed in serious cases, and if so what kind of surgery. Orthopedic doctors will seek non-invasive options first and create a treatment plan that matches the severity of your condition.
With neurologists, chiropractors, and orthopedic doctors on staff, we are able to manage sciatic pain no matter the form it takes or treatment needed. When you visit our clinics in Marietta, GA, you benefit from a range of spinal specialties that treat your pain holistically. Call us today to begin seeking relief from sciatic pain.
What Kind of Doctor Treats Sciatica? Oct 8, What Is Sciatica? When to See a Doctor for Sciatica In many mild cases, sciatica will resolve after a few days of simple at-home care. See Diagnosing the Cause of Sciatica. Sciatica is a lay term that describes a set of symptoms that originate in your lower back and travel down your sciatic nerve. There are specific terms associated with sciatica and learning the vocabulary ahead of time can help you save time and avoid confusion during your consultation.
See Sciatic Nerve Anatomy. See Radiculopathy, Radiculitis and Radicular Pain. See Lumbar Radiculopathy. Read more about Sciatica Causes. Certain doctors offer special, extended appointment times, sometimes as long as 1 hour or weekend appointments also referred to as concierge service.
Other doctors offer extended times for all patients as a part of their regular schedule. To find out if a specialist offers such benefits in your area, peruse the websites of various medical practices or talk with your primary care doctor.
0コメント