Spine Discomfort

If you suffer from low back pain and/or sciatica, then it is possible that you have heard a lot about chiropractic or osteopathy. Focus on chiropractic -- a health care profession that focuses mainly on disorders of the musculoskeletal system and the nervous system, and the effects of these disorders on health in general. It is a discipline that emphasizes the intrinsic recuperative power of the body to heal itself without the use of drugs or surgery. If you have back pains and you are seeking treatment you should find out more about what chiropractic involves.

Since physical therapy also addresses the musculoskeletal system, having a physical therapist who works with a chiropractor is ideal.

Sciatica is the name given to the condition you have when your sciatic nerve becomes inflamed. With sciatica, the pain can be really unbearable, and it often follows the path of your nerve - down the back of your leg, ankle, foot, and toes, but it can also radiate into your back. Along with a burning sensation and sharp pains, you may also feel nerve sensations such as pins-and-needles, tingling, prickling, crawling sensations, or tenderness. Ironically, your leg may also feel numb.

To matters worse, even though sciatica pain is commonly in the back of the legs or thighs, some people may feel pain in the front or side of the legs or even in the hips, or even in the groin. For some, the pain is in both legs: this is referred to as bilateral sciatica!

The level of pain may vary, and there might be a consistent throbbing, but then it may let up for a couple of hours or maybe even days; it may ache or it might be a stabbing type of pain. In some cases changes in posture like lying down or changing positions affect the pain, and sometimes they may not. In severe cases, sciatica can cause a loss of reflexes or even a wasting of the calf muscles. For those who suffer with sciatica, sleeping all the way through the night may be a thing of the past. Simple things like walking, sitting, or standing up can be difficult or even impossible with this condition.

The probability of severe adverse effects from manipulation of the lower back, which is what a chiropractor would do, is low.

Some neurologists may take a different approach to the treatment and prevention of sciatica. After a thorough neurological exam, he or she may determine which part of the nervous system is not functioning properly. In some sciatica patients, there has been a high mesencephalic output.

There are three parts to the brain stem: top, middle and lower. The mesencephalon is the top part of the brain stem. A high output of the mesencephalon will cause an augmented pulse and heart rate, the inability to sleep, or a waking, fitful sleep.

Other symptoms may include urinary tract infections, increased warmth and sweating, and sensitivity to light. Along with a high mesencephalic output, the migraine patient may present with a decreased output of the cerebellum. The cerebellum controls the balance, coordinated movement, as well as the involuntary muscles of the spinal column. It does not matter what the condition is, it is imperative that the chiropractic neurologist performs a complete and comprehensive exam to determine the precise nature of the patient's ailments.

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