Sciatic and Leg Pain

Understanding the Link Between Sciatica and Leg Pain with Our Joplin Chiropractor at Skaggs Chiropractic, LLC

At Skaggs Chiropractic, we know that pain is never an isolated symptom. Our Joplin chiropractor helps patients relieve and manage pain from a variety of sources, and the first step is always diagnosis. We want to know exactly why you're in pain because our chiropractic care is customized to target the source and provide long-term healing. If your back or leg pain is related to the sciatic nerve, you may have sciatica. Learn what sciatica is, how it affects the body, and why chiropractic care is a common solution for patients in sciatic pain.

What is Sciatica?

Sciatica is actually a type of leg pain that originates in the sciatic nerve, a crucial and sensitive nerve that starts in your lower back. Sciatica occurs when a part of the sciatic nerve is pinched or compressed, usually by degeneration or sudden damage in the spine. Because the sciatic nerve comes together inside your spinal canal and branches out into your legs, any abnormal shifting or bulging in the spine may trigger pain in the connected leg and foot.

Leg Pain and Other Symptoms of Sciatica

While sciatica itself is a symptom that describes a specific type of pain, this pain may look different for different patients. The location and severity of your sciatic nerve pain will depend on the location of your nerve compression, but the pinching almost always occurs in the lower back, where nerve compression will affect a specific leg.

Symptoms of sciatica include:

• Shooting pain down the leg and foot
• Constant pain in one leg or buttock
• Searing, tingling, or burning leg pain
• Weakness or complete numbness in one leg or foot
• Leg pain that worsens when you sit

How Chiropractic Techniques Relieve Sciatica

For the Surrounding Areas of Neosho, Carthage, Sarcoxie, Diamond, Duenweg, Webb City, Carl Junction, Oronogo, Loma Linda, Seneca, Goodman, Granby, MO and Pittsburg, Galena, Baxter Springs, Riverton, Columbus, KS, and Quapaw, OK

If you're experiencing shooting leg pain, our Joplin chiropractor may be able to help. Chiropractors use all-natural techniques to relieve nerve pressure and restore the proper alignment of the spine. For example, spinal manipulations (or chiropractic adjustments) allow us to push slipped or herniated discs back into place, preventing spinal fluid and bulging matter from putting pressure on the sciatic nerve root.

Chiropractic care is also a great solution for degenerative disc disease, which gradually weakens the spinal discs and causes inflammation and irritation to the surrounding nerve roots. Your worn down discs may no longer absorb the force of everyday activity, resulting in shifting and back pain that may also lead to leg pain. Our chiropractor helps patients relieve degenerative disc pain by reducing inflammation and restoring vertebral alignment.

If shooting leg pain is caused by misalignment near the sciatic nerve, chiropractic care is a natural and long-term way to find relief. Unlike surgical intervention and pharmaceutical drugs, chiropractic adjustments are completely natural, and they allow your chiropractor to target very specific sites of injury or degeneration. Your sciatica symptoms will help determine the best course of action for our wellness team.

Our Chiropractic Treatments for Sciatica & Leg Pain

Our Joplin chiropractor. Dr. Steven Skaggs knows that every case of sciatica is unique because every patient has different physical needs and lifestyle factors that affect their movements and symptoms. We will make sure your sciatica treatment is tailor-made for your specific symptoms, but it will most likely include one or more of the following chiropractic techniques. These therapeutic approaches and spinal manipulation methods are effective, all-natural ways to relieve pain and promote healing in patients with sciatica:

Ultrasound with Low Volt Therapy

Ultrasound waves are actually useful in regenerating the sciatic nerve, so we use low-volt ultrasound therapy to treat sciatica in some patients.

Low-Level Laser

Low-level laser therapy, AKA cold laser therapy, is a light therapy technique that uses actual light waves to reduce sciatic pain.

Interferential Therapy

During interferential therapy (IFT) sessions, we use low-frequency electrical pulses to stimulate the nerves and provide relief.

Active Release Technique

The active release technique (ART) is a therapeutic method for stimulating and loosening the soft tissue. We use ART methodology to relieve tight muscles for sports injuries, but it's also useful for relieving nerve compression that causes debilitating sciatic pain.

Sacral Occipital Technique

This chiropractic correction method focuses on the important joints that connect the spinal cord and brain. We use this method to make very precise adjustments to specific parts of the spine.

Activator Method

Our chiropractor uses a handheld device called an Activator to apply quick, low-amplitude bursts of force to your spine. If the sciatic nerve roots are restricted by a specific spinal problem, we may use this treatment method.

Schedule an Appointment with Our Joplin Chiropractor

Relieve your sciatica-related leg pain with the all-natural benefits of chiropractic care. If you're experiencing shooting pain down one leg, you need long-term relief, not a quick fix until the symptoms return. Our Joplin chiropractor, Dr. Skaggs, has years of experience providing sciatic and leg pain relief in the Joplin area. He understands that this symptom can be debilitating, and he is committed to providing an all-natural, non-invasive path to relief for the communities of Neosho, Carthage, Sarcoxie,Diamond, Duenweg, Webb City, Carl Junction, Oronogo, Loma Linda, Seneca, Goodman, Granby, MO and Pittsburg, Galena, Baxter Springs, Riverton, Columbus, KS and Quapaw, OK.

If you are interested in learning more about all of our innovative services, contact us at 417-624-4242.

Disclaimer: No individuals, including those currently under our active care, should use the information and/or resources contained here within to self diagnose or self treat any health related condition(s). Diagnosis and treatment of all health conditions should only be performed by your doctor of chiropractic or other licensed health care professional.