The Melbourne Chiropractor to see - Chiropractor Melbourne

A Melbourne Chiropractor can assist you in determining the cause of your sciatica and providing treatments for sciatica pain relief.

Sciatica is a symptom of another disorder.    It is not a condition in itself.   The sciatica nerve branches out from the low back and travels through the hip joint into the buttock, alongside the hip and then down the back of the leg to your foot on both right and left sides.   A Melbourne Chiropractor can show you the path the sciatica nerve journeys to give you a better understanding of this largest nerve in the human body.

A Melbourne Chiropractor will first determine the probable cause of your sciatica pain.    Sciatica pain can result from misalignment of the lower spine, herniated or slipped discs, tumours, diabetes, pregnancy, musculature injury, arthritis or even something as simple as sitting with your wallet in your back pocket.   A Melbourne Chiropractor will review these possible causes, amongst others, with you during your initial visit.

To help form a diagnosis, a Melbourne Chiropractor will ask you about your pain symptoms.    Sciatica pain may be sharp and debilitating, dull, aching, tingling or burning and may be accompanied by numbness or weakness.  Sneezing, coughing and standing or sitting for long periods of time may aggravate the pain.   A Melbourne Chiropractor may also request additional diagnostic tests, such as x-rays.

Conservative treatment of your sciatica pain is the best fundamental choice.    A Melbourne Chiropractor offers drug-free non-invasive treatment.    A Melbourne Chiropractor will design a customized treatment plan for your sciatica pain.

Treatment options vary, but a Melbourne Chiropractor may utilize some or all of the following:

• Ice and heat therapy to reduce inflammation and increase blood circulation within the muscles;
• Ultrasound, which produces heat through sound waves, to relax muscles and reduce spasms and pain;
• TENS, which stimulates nerves through electrical currents, to camouflage pain and block nerves from sending pain signals
  
• Massage therapy;
• Spinal adjustments to realign the spine or take pressure off the sciatica nerve.  
  

A Melbourne Chiropractor may also offer exercise suggestions, postural advice and other practical information to reduce or relieve sciatica pain.

Performing exercises in accordance with a Melbourne Chiropractor’s recommendations is beneficial in two ways:  physically and emotionally.      It might seem counter-intuitive to exercise when you are experiencing pain but, in actuality, inactivity will worsen the symptoms.    Pain will increase as connective tissues weaken from lack of use and flexibility decreases.

On an emotional level, adopting an idle lifestyle because of sciatica pain will only serve to make you more aware and focused on the pain.   Exercise is proven effective in stress and pain management. A Melbourne Chiropractor will carefully select exercises which will not exacerbate your symptoms but, rather, aid in your recovery.

Sciatica pain may be short-term or, in some cases, become chronic.  It is best to start conservative treatment with a Melbourne Chiropractor as soon as possible to minimize development of long-term sciatica pain.