_____________________________________ Monahan Chiropractic PA Stephen Monahan, D.C. 4022 Blanding Blvd. Jacksonville, FL 32210 Phone: 904-778-7963 ________________________________ Home About Us Health Survey Office Hours Patient Testimonials What To Expect Payment Options Contact us ________________________________ Chiropractic Topics ________________________________ Why Patients Consult Our Office Could Chiropractic Help You? Chiropractic VS. Medical Treatment Types of Chiropractic Care What are Subluxations ? Chiropractic Adjustments History of Chiropractic Glossary of Chiropractic Terms Frequently Asked Questions Celebrity Chiropractic Patients How to Become a Patient ________________________________  • Arthritis  • Auto Accidents  • Back Pain  • Carpal Tunnel  • Chiro & Workers' Comp.  • Exercise and Physical Fitness  • Headaches  • Health and Wellness  • Hip Pain  • Infants Health Issues  • Muscle Spasms  • Numbness  • Nutrition and Balanced Diet  • Pinched Nerve  • Pregnancy  • Sciatica  • Scoliosis  • Slipped disc  • Stress  • Whiplash  • Whole Body Health ________________________________ Special Promotion                     Email Doctor                                 Subscribe To Our Newsletter   Email This Page To Your Friend           Make Blanding Chiropractic My Home Page

Sciatica Sciatica is a severe pain in the leg caused by compression, irritation, or inflammation of the sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerves are the largest and longest nerves in the body, reaching about the size of your thumb in diameter, and running down the back of each leg. Each sciatic nerve is composed of five smaller nerves that leave the spinal cord from the lower spinal column, join together and then travel down each leg. It then divides into tinny smaller nerves that travel to the thigh, knee, calf, ankle, foot and toes. When these nerves are irritated or affected by the inflammation of nearby soft tissues, doctors refer to this as sciatica. Sciatica doesn't have symptoms. It is a symptom itself, consisting of pain, burning, tingling or electric shock-like feelings in the path of the sciatic nerve. It usually results from injury to the fibers that make up the sciatic nerve. How do I know if I have sciatica? If you feel pain, weakness and/or changes in sensation (tingling, jolts, hot and cold, numbness) along the anatomical path the sciatic nerve travels, or numbness or weakness in the skin and/or muscles that the nerve's fibers serve, then you are suffering from sciatica. Unpleasant feelings along the following routes constitute sciatica: down the back of the leg... back of the knee from the mid-buttock down the back of the leg to the knee and/or the outside of the calf and top of the foot, ending in the space between the last two toes inside the calf, behind the inner ankle to the sole of the foot lower back pain may also be present Why do people get sciatica? Sciatica arises from injury to the fibers of the sciatic nerve. The injury can occur in one of four places: inside the spinal canal (cauda equina) where bundles of sciatic nerve fibers pass through bony openings in the spine (neuroforamina) in the pelvis (lumbrosacral plexus) where the sciatic nerve exits the pelvis, below the piriformis muscle in the buttock (Piriformis Syndrome), or along the leg What are the main causes of sciatica? Herniated or slipped disc (herniated nucleus pulposus). This is by far the most common cause of sciatica Pressure by the piriformis muscle in the buttock on the sciatic nerve. (Piriformis Syndrome) Misalignment of the bones in the lower back and buttocks (Sacroiliac Joint Derangement) Narrowing of the spinal canal that puts pressure on or pinches the fibers that make up the sciatic nerve Slippage of one vertebra so that it is out of line with those above or beneath it (spondylolisthesis) Abnormality of the nervous system itself, so that nerve fibers don't transmit signals properly, especially to feet and calves (neuropathy) Tumor (this is rare) The chiropractic approach to treating sciatica is to find the source of nerve irritation and relieve the pressure causing the pain. By correcting the source of the problem, the body can heal naturally without nerve interference. Sciatica, like other health conditions that can be traced to the spine, often responds dramatically to the restoration of normal spinal function through chiropractic care. Your chiropractor's methods will vary according to the specific source of sciatica in each case. First, a complete history is taken to determine when the problem first appeared and possible sources. Next, a complete physical and chiropractic exam is performed, and x-rays may be taken. These tests are reviewed and discussed with you along with recommendations for treatment.Treatment will vary according to the severity of the condition. With most patients, a series of adjustments to move the related vertebra back to a more normal position is helpful to reduce the pressure on the nerve. In some cases, the use of ultrasound and ice is needed. Massage therapy to reduce the pain related to muscle spasms is frequently helpful. The chiropractic approach to sciatica (and other health problems) is to help restore the way your spine works, reducing nerve irritation and revitalizing your own healing ability. Sciatica often worsens with extended bed rest. Pain pills or muscle relaxers are unable to correct the nerve compression caused by a bulging disc. Physical therapy merely exercises the unstable joints. Surgery often involves cutting away disc tissue or removing bone to make room for the nerve. Fortunately, sciatica often responds to safe, natural chiropractic care. Improving joint motion with a series of chiropractic adjustments has produced results for millions. Your chiropractic doctor is uniquely skilled to evaluate and reduce the most common cause of sciatica nerve pain. It’s the natural approach to relief and better health. Will I always have sciatica, or can I be cured? With proper diagnosis the cause of most sciatica can be identified and removed. Communication and cooperation between professional and patient are crucial. Can chiropractic cure sciatica? Actually, chiropractic doesn’t cure anything! Only your body can do that. The chiropractic approach to sciatica (and other health problems) is to help restore the way your spine works, reducing nerve irritation and revitalizing your own healing ability. How much chiropractic care will I need? Most sciatica patients are delighted with the results they get after weeks or months of care. Naturally, this varies from patient to patient. After a relapse or two, many discover that years of neglect have produced spinal instabilities that never fully heal. These patients elect to continue with periodic chiropractic checkups.

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