Can Physical Therapy Help Resolve My Recurrent Sciatica for Good?

For those who know the stabbing pain and radiating symptoms of sciatica, you want a permanent solution. While most cases resolve themselves with rest, time, and conservative care, compression of a sciatic nerve can seriously interfere with daily life when symptoms are present. 

At Herald Square Chiropractic and Sport, we know that hands-on treatment is an excellent way to reduce sciatica pain, speed recovery, and potentially prevent its return. 

While no treatment can guarantee a permanent cure for sciatica, physical therapy can help. 

The basics of sciatica

Two sciatic nerves branch off the spinal cord in your lower back. These are the largest and longest nerves in your body, extending across your buttocks and down the back of your legs. 

The sciatic nerve contains both motor and sensory nerves, controlling motion and transmitting sensations. When a sciatic nerve becomes compressed or irritated, symptoms can be felt at the point of compression or anywhere beyond, down to your feet in some cases. 

As well as pain, sciatica includes symptoms like tingling, numbness, and muscle weakness. In rare, serious cases, sciatic nerve compression can cause fecal and urinary incontinence. 

Sciatica causes

Herniated spinal discs, when the inner gel of a disc escapes and presses against nerve tissue, are a common cause of sciatica. Conditions like osteoarthritis and osteoporosis can also contribute to nerve tissue changes. 

The pathways of the spine through which nerves pass have little extra room, so anything that causes these spaces to shrink can potentially press against nerve tissue, creating sciatica symptoms. 

Can physical therapy help resolve my recurrent sciatica for good? 

One sciatica episode is bad enough. Recurring episodes are worse. 

Unfortunately, there’s no way to assure you’ll never have an attack again. However, you can take steps to improve your body’s defenses. Physical therapy is a valuable preventive tool. 

Your spine has an elaborate support system of soft tissue. Keeping this tissue healthy and strong spreads the load on your spine, helping to reduce some of the forces that cause lower back problems. 

Physical therapy targets ligaments, muscles, and tendons to build this support. That means the joints of the spine experience less stress, helping to maximize the room your sciatic nerves have to pass through unaffected. 

Widespread support takes the pressure off of arthritic joints, and PT encourages reduced inflammation. 

At Herald Square Chiropractic and Sport, we offer physical rehabilitation and massage therapy services as well as chiropractic adjustments. We’ll develop the right treatment plan for you to minimize the effects of sciatica. 

Call or click to schedule a consultation with our back pain specialists today.