Sciatica
Sciatica and Disc Treatment in Kansas City, MO | Northland Spine
Dealing with sciatica, a disc bulge, or pain traveling into the leg? Schedule a personalized chiropractic evaluation at Northland Spine and Rehabilitation in Kansas City.
Sciatica and Disc Pain Treatment in Kansas City
If you’ve ever had “sciatica” or disc issues causing radiating pain or numbness into an extremity, it’s likely something you won’t forget. But it is something we work with on an everyday basis at Northland Spine and Rehabilitation. Pain shooting into your legs or causing burning discomfort down your arm into your hand is unfortunately a common occurrence. Many patients worry that means they may need surgery in the future or that they have a “slipped disc”.
We’re here to help explain it all to you (even the old and incorrect terminology in quotations above!) in a way that makes sense and hopefully eases your fears and worries. No one is ever excited about the thought of needles or injections in their back. And they certainly want to avoid going under the knife. Chiropractic care is a great conservative option for treatment and often helps to avoid ever even having to consider those other more invasive scenarios.
What Is Sciatica?
Sciatica is a term used to describe symptoms involving the sciatic nerve or the nerve roots that form it. It is not a specific diagnosis by itself.
Symptoms may include:
- Pain traveling from the lower back or buttock into the leg
- Burning, tingling, or numbness
- Sharp or electric-like pain
- Leg or foot weakness
- Pain that worsens with sitting, bending, coughing, or lifting
- Difficulty standing, walking, sleeping, or exercising comfortably
- Age-related changes in the spine
Difficulty standing, walking, sleeping, or exercising comfortably
What Causes Sciatica?
1
A lumbar disc bulge or herniation
2
Irritation or inflammation near a spinal nerve
3
Age-related narrowing around the nerves
4
Irritated joints in the lower back
5
Muscle tension or irritation around the hip and pelvis
6
An injury from lifting, sports, work, or an auto accident
Because several different problems can cause similar symptoms, treatment should be based on more than the location of the pain alone.
What Is a Disc Bulge or Herniated Disc?
The discs between the vertebrae act as cushions and help the spine move. A disc may bulge or become injured over time, after a sudden strain or even a traumatic auto accident.
Some disc problems cause only low back pain. Others may irritate a nearby nerve and produce pain, numbness, or tingling in the leg. Disc changes are also commonly seen on MRI in people who have no symptoms, so imaging findings must be considered alongside the patient’s history and physical examination.
How Chiropractic Care May Help
Many cases of sciatica and disc-related pain can be managed conservatively. Depending on your condition, care may include:
- Chiropractic adjustments or gentle joint mobilization
- Flexion-distraction or other low-force techniques
- Soft-tissue treatment
- Exercises designed to reduce nerve irritation
- Core, hip, and lower-body strengthening
- Guidance on sitting, lifting, work, and exercise
- Gradual return to normal activity
The goal is not simply to “put the disc back in place.” That’s not exactly how it works, but often how it is explained. Treatment is intended to reduce irritation, improve movement, restore strength, and help you return to daily activities with less pain.
Personalized Care Without a One-Size-Fits-All Plan
A patient with mild leg pain and no weakness may need a very different plan than someone with severe symptoms, a recent injury, or significant neurological changes.
Dr. Blake Overly provides individualized care based on how your symptoms behave and what the examination reveals. When imaging, medication management, injections, or specialist care may be appropriate, we can help coordinate those next steps. And if you’ve had MRI imaging in the past, make sure to bring your report and we can take the time to review your findings and discuss available options.
Schedule a Sciatica or Disc Evaluation
You do not have to keep avoiding sitting, lifting, exercise, or normal daily activities because of back and leg pain. Northland Spine and Rehabilitation provides personalized chiropractic and rehabilitation care for patients with sciatica, disc injuries, and related nerve symptoms.
Contact our Kansas City office today to schedule an evaluation.