If you’re looking for a drug-free, effective treatment for sciatica or a herniated disc, chiropractic care may be able to help you.
Often these two conditions go hand in hand. First, there’s a herniated disc and then sciatica.
That’s not always the case, but it is common.
You probably want to know the difference between sciatica and a herniated disc and your options for finding safe pain relief.
Let’s start with the difference between the two.
What’s the Difference Between Sciatica and a Herniated Disc?
There are many different terms for lower back pain. You’ve probably heard of a slipped disc, a herniated disc, a pinched nerve, and sciatica, to name a few. You might wonder what the difference is and how your treatment should vary.
Namely, you do want a doctor’s evaluation to identify the cause of your lower back pain. This will likely include a physical exam to test your movement, muscle strength, and reflexes. Additionally, the doctor will probably press on parts of your back to identify the source of pain.
From there, you can map out a treatment plan. Chiropractic care can be part of your treatment plan.
First, a herniated disc can occur suddenly. Imagine picking up something heavy and feeling a shooting pain across your back. That could be a herniated disc. The good news is that with bed rest it’ll probably heal on its own.
However, it can lead to sciatica pain.
Here’s a quick breakdown. You know bones, tendons, nerves, ligaments, and discs make up your spinal column. In fact, there are 23 discs. Those discs act as shock absorbers between the spinal bones protecting them. However, those same discs start to flatten as you get older. They offer less cushion. It’s kind of like a mattress that flattens over the years.
When a disc is pressured — like when you pick up something heavy — it can crack. That’s what’s meant by a herniated disc.
Sciatica, on the other hand, relates to your sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve is the longest nerve in your body, and it runs from the base of your skull to your feet. When a disc flattens or cracks, it can press against the sciatic nerve.
Then, you’re likely to feel pain in your buttock and radiate down your leg. Now, you don’t have to have a herniated disc to experience sciatic pain, but it is a common cause.
A medical evaluation should help find the cause.
How Do You Treat Sciatica and a Herniated Disc?
Obviously, the treatment plan will vary from person to person. One’s medical history and the amount of pain they’re in will dictate the level of treatment.
Some will find success with lifestyle changes like adding yoga and massage treatments, while others may find themselves considering surgery. You probably know someone with debilitating pain that impacts their quality of life. Hopefully, they can find relief.
Considering the gamut of possible health conditions and circumstances vary widely, you may find yourself consulting “Dr. Google” as well as friends and family.
There’s nothing wrong with any of those, but it’s also good to consult a qualified chiropractor.
Chiropractic care is a safe and non-invasive form of pain relief. It can also be more cost-effective, and many chiropractors take insurance.
What to Expect From Your First Chiropractic Treatment
At McQuaite Chiropractic in Doylestown, Pa., Dr. Jeff McQuaite meets with you about your medical history and conducts an x-ray to see the state of your internal body.
Those x-rays can show disc problems and other areas where you may feel pain. From there, he’ll recommend a treatment plan of several visits. He may also recommend diet and exercise changes and other modalities such as massage therapy.
How Long Does a Chiropractic Treatment Take?
Most chiropractic treatments are quick. It only takes a few minutes, for your chiropractor can ask you a few questions and make your adjustments. In most cases, you can figure on a 10-15 minute window.
In summary, chiropractic care can often help with sciatica and herniated disc pain. At McQuaite Chiropractic in Doylestown, Pa, we offer non-surgical, non-invasive chiropractic treatments to improve your mobility and reduce pain. Are you ready to feel your best?
Chiropractors can do so more than help with back pain. If your child suffers from colic, asthma, sports injuries, or other problems, a child chiropractor may be able to help.
The point of chiropractic care is prevention and restoration for all ages. And, yes, even children can have physical pains big and small. However, if you’re nervous about the idea of a chiropractor “cracking” your child’s spine, you’re not alone. It’s natural to feel a little worried about exposing your children to something new.
“Chiropractic is concerned with the preservation and restoration of health and focuses particular attention on the subluxation. A subluxation is a complex of functional and or pathological articular changes that compromise neural integrity and may influence organ system function and general health.”
In plain English, subluxation references musculoskeletal problems. For example, when you have a pinched nerve or pain in your neck from hours of sitting slumped over the computer, your spine is out of alignment and it can be painful. This happens with kids too. Chiropractic and Newborns
You’ve probably heard of fussy newborns. Maybe you have one yourself. It turns out there’s a host of reasons why children may be irritable. They might have pains like headaches, muscle spasms, or be colicky. Colic is described as when a newborn cries daily at predictable times. There could be many reasons why your child does this. Doctors connect it to everything from a stressed digestive system to general anxiety.
And since they’re pre-verbal, their primary means of communication is to cry, as you know.
In some cases, newborns have shoulder or neck pain from the birth experience itself. A child chiropractor can assess your child and use a small amount of pressure on acupressure points. This pressure is appropriate for a newborn and will help them release.
Many children feel better within a visit or two. Additional visits will help their tiny bodies grow in alignment with their bones and ligaments in the right position.
But what if you have older children? How can chiropractic care help them?
Child Chiropractic Care Can Help with Sports Injuries
Some kids start sports almost as soon as they can run. T-ball and kiddie soccer come to mind. Some of those kids stay in sports for the next 15 years or so. Some of them have coaches who are mindful of stretching and ways to protect their growing bodies. Others are not as aware of the benefits of child chiropractic care as a way to protect against injuries. Or help heal when injuries do occur.
Strains and sprains are some of the most common sports injuries. Sometimes kids make them worse by playing despite the pain. In some cases, these young athletes take pain-killers to mask the pain instead of using the pain as a cue to get help.
However, there’s a better way. That way is to include child chiropractic care in your child’s health regimen. We can work together to keep your child’s developing body healthy and, hopefully, avoid painful sports injuries.
Here at McQuaite Chiropractic, we’re conveniently located next to CB West High School in Doylestown, Pa. Do you have a young athlete or child who may benefit from a child chiropractor?
We offer a free consultation so why not come in and see if chiropractic care can be good for your child?
If you’ve heard the dangers of chronic inflammation, you’re probably wondering how you can reduce yours.
A Washington Post article reports that many people don’t even know they have it until it’s already damaging their bodies. In fact, scientists believe chronic inflammation enhances oxidative stress on the body which leads to a host of chronic illnesses, including cancer.
They also agree that many aspects of modern life can trigger chronic inflammation — especially diet and stress.
However, there’s evidence that chiropractic care helps chronic inflammation.
But first, what is inflammation?
What is Inflammation?
There are two kinds of inflammation: acute and chronic inflammation. Acute inflammation is what you experience when you’re chopping veggies and accidentally cut your finger. It throbs and turns red. That’s your body sending blood cells to kill any potential infection and start the healing process.
But chronic inflammation is different. It’s long-lasting, and when your body stays in a state of chronic high-alert, it damages your body. Those white blood cells that rush to destroy infection can attack healthy cells because they mistakenly think those cells are dangerous. Over time, they’ll also attack healthy organs and joints too. It’s a miscommunication in your body where it attacks itself.
Why Does It Occur?
In simple terms, inflammation is a symptom of a larger problem. With acute inflammation, it’s obvious what the problem is and when the broken arm or cut heals, you’ll be fine.
But with chronic inflammation, it can be tough to dig out the underlying problem. Doctors know that many people with chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and Crohn’s disease often suffer from chronic inflammation. But they’re not sure which comes first.
How Does Chiropractic Care Help Chronic Inflammation?
Chiropractic care can help because it opens up the communication channels in your body. You probably think of chiropractic care as something for back pain. That’s true, but it also has applications for chronic inflammation.
The goal of regular chiropractic adjustments is to re-align the vertebrae in your spine. This practice promotes a healthy nervous system, which affects your entire body. It means your brain can send messages easier through your body, and it can reduce your body’s production of cells, promoting inflammation.
Chiropractic care is an integral part of overall wellness and can easily co-exist with traditional medical care.
What Can Other Lifestyle Changes Help?
Your lifestyle plays a big role in reducing inflammation, and all the usual suspects are at play here. Eating a healthy diet, getting regular exercise, and reducing stress is critical for your health and well-being.
Eat Healthy Foods
What you eat plays a role in combating chronic inflammation. The usual culprits, white bread, pasta, red meat, and alcohol, can make the inflammation worse. Whereas a diet heavy on vegetables, lean protein, and healthy fats can help reduce your inflammation.
Exercise Most Days
Aim for four to five sessions a week and make sure you get in a mix of cardio and weight training. You don’t have to go to the gym. Just get out and make sure you have a brisk walk for 30-45 minutes 4-5 x a week and make homemade weights by using filled water bottles. There are also thousands of YouTube videos geared towards everything from kickboxing to yoga.
You may be surprised by what a difference this can make in your health if you do these regularly.
Manage Stress
You knew this was coming, didn’t you? Modern life is stressful, and this past year has been unusually stressful. Stress takes a significant toll on our bodies, so whatever you can do to reduce it is good. Many people find meditation is a powerful way to reduce stress. Again, YouTube can be your friend here. There are many guided meditations there.
You can also simply practice deep breathing, also, reduce your social media time as that can drive anxiety.
Your Next Steps
Chiropractic care helps chronic inflammation and has applications for many other health concerns. Whether you’re new to the practice or you haven’t been in a while, your body will likely benefit.
If you’re in Doylestown, PA, why not give us a call and see if chiropractic care is right for you? Here’s what you can expect on your first visit.
Let me ask you a question. Do you ever think about “wellness?” As in, “I want wellness?”
These days, “wellness” is a buzzy catchphrase that pertains to everything from essential oils to yoga to chiropractic care. And since no one wants “unwellness” or sickness, it sounds like a good objective.
But what is wellness chiropractic? Is it different from regular chiropractic?
In this post, we’ll define the “wellness” concept and wellness chiropractic. That way, you’ll be able to decide if it fits with your health goals.
First, the Global Wellness Institute defines wellness as “the active pursuit of activities, choices, and lifestyles that lead to a state of holistic health.”
Hmmm…. That makes sense. Framed this way, wellness in this way is an active state and not simply “not well.” So when you actively choose healthy foods and regular exercise you’re engaging in activities that promote wellness.
But it goes deeper than that.
Pfizer links wellness referencing the World Health Organization who says “Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.
Going further, both Pfizer and the Global Wellness Institute include social, mental, and physical goals within the larger categories of wellness.
Those include getting enough sleep, eating healthy meals, exercising regularly, and incorporating other healthy habits like making time for family and friends and other self-care activities.
Wellness Chiropractic Fits Into Active Wellness Activities
Whether you’re new to chiropractic or you think of it as a back-pain relief technique, you might be surprised to consider all of its benefits in your wellness plan. You probably already know that chiropractic care focuses on your spine. You have one spine and chiropractors like to say “it’s your lifeline.” It’s more than “just” the bones and discs, that gives your body flexibility and holds you upright. It also connects your head to your toes via miles of nerves and tendons that make up your nervous system.
A healthy spine means your nervous system can communicate easily with all the cells in your body. When your body can communicate with itself, it promotes self-healing.
Just like taking Vitamin C, getting enough sleep, and eating well can help your body function well, wellness chiropractic can also play a role. It reduces neck and shoulder pain and can even contribute to reduced ankle or knee pain.
When combined with other wellness activities, chiropractic care can contribute to stress reduction — we recommend massage therapy for even more stress relief.
Regular chiropractic treatments can even help you catch health concerns before they become problems. It’s a natural approach rather than the wait until you’re sick approach.
In today’s environment, stress reduction and wellness care are more important than ever. Even small adjustments in your habits can make a difference in your overall health. Make a commitment to work more veggies into your meals, get out for a walk, or do some simple exercises at home. Youtube has a wealth of classes on everything from yoga to kickboxing.
If you’re in Doylestown, Pa., you can contact McQuaite Chiropractic for your wellness chiropractic treatments. We accept most insurances and have family plans available. You can call 267-247-7000 for more info.
According to Harvard Medical School, roughly 40% of people experience sciatic pain in their lives. Like many aches and pains, it can worsen as you get older. You might feel pain when part of the nerve is pinched, you have a herniated disc, other irritation.
Sciatica affects different people in different ways.
Some people feel it in one or both of their legs. Others feel it in their lower back. You might feel a tingling sensation, feel numb, or have a throbbing pain that makes it painful to stand and live your life. If you know you have sciatica, then you want to find pain relief and you might wonder if a chiropractor for sciatica can help.
How a Chiropractor Helps Sciatica in Bucks County, Pa.
Chiropractic care can help relieve painful sciatica safely and gently without surgery. As you may know, chiropractic treatments offer natural pain relief so you can feel better and get on with your life.
First, of course, we want to make sure you do have sciatica. When you visit our office, we’ll discuss your medical history and take an x-ray to assess your spinal health.
Then, we’ll make a recommendation that fits your condition. In addition to chiropractic treatments, we may also recommend massage therapy, hot and cold therapy, ultrasound, or even spinal decompression.
Massage therapy works well in conjunction with chiropractic adjustments because it loosens up the muscles and releases endorphins. Endorphins are your body’s natural painkillers. The combination is terrific for helping your body heal.
Additionally, since chiropractic adjustments basically “put things back” where they’re supposed to be massage therapy is helpful because those looser muscles are more accepting of the adjustment.
You may know, the chiropractic adjustment releases trapped nerves and align your spinal cord, vertebrae discs, and ligaments. Designed to improve your mobility, chiropractic care uses gentle pressure and spinal manipulation so you can feel better and your body can heal.
In some cases, we’ll recommend other therapies too. In our Doylestown, Pa., office we have many tools to help you relieve sciatic pain. For example, many of our patients like the TENS machine (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation). It stimulates the nerves and reduces muscle spasms and pain. We also regularly use ultrasound therapy to relax tight muscles.
Spinal Decompression May Help As you age, your spinal discs can become thinner and drier. Sometimes, that means your spine compresses. Chiropractors have specific techniques designed to lengthen your spine which relieves nerve compression.
Lifestyle Changes Will Also Help Chiropractors can help with sciatica pain relief in both the short and long term. We can also help you make modifications in your life that will also help. That may mean changing the way you sit or sleep and getting more exercise.
Living a sedentary lifestyle makes sciatica worse. You can embark on a walking program to improve your health and also yoga stretches will help your sciatica. You’ll also want to strengthen your core because a strong core helps support your back which can help with pain relief. Ultimately, yes, a chiropractor for sciatica may be able to help you. If you’re tired of suffering with sciatic pain, please contact McQuaite Chiropractic at 267-247-7000 for a consultation.
