A new study points out that while a thorough examination and a differential diagnosis should be performed on all patients with sciatica pain, most sciatica comes from disc problems.
And, when it comes to disc problems, you have several choices. You can do nothing. ”Doing nothing” is not recommended because while the pain subside after a few days, the dysfunction may still remain. Further, the problem may even get worse if you ignore the pain.
Second, you might go to a chiropractor. This is a great choice, especially if the disc problem is not so severe. You should be seeing a chiropractor periodically anyway to make sure your frame is lined up properly. If you can, it may be a good idea to get your spine adjusted once per week. However, if your disc problem is too severe, this option may not work.
Next, you could go to a physical therapist. This is not convenient because you need a doctor’s referral to see a PT and to determine your differential diagnosis. And then when you do see the PT, they may not even know what to do with you. You’re probably better off seeing the chiropractic doctor.
Speaking of medical doctors, this is another choice, but the treatment options are limited. While they may spend most of their day looking at the front of the body, they rarely look at your back. And their treatment of choice is pain, and that physical therapist referral.
You could also go see the orthopedic surgeon. He may do injections which will last a few days to a week. Then, he could do another one. Then another one. After a few injections (they can’t do too many,) they may recommend surgery. This should only be seen as an option at the very last resort. Once they cut, you can’t go back to being uncut.
For many patients in Santa Rosa and Sonoma county, the best option is spinal decompression therapy using the DRX-9000. This is for the disc bulge that cannot be helped by chiropractic care. This is an alternative to surgery that allows the disc material to be sucked back in when the spine is gently lengthened. It seems like a simple process, but it is controlled by computer logarithms that control the way that the spine moves.
If you are interested in more in formation, look us up at www.santarosadrx.com or call us at (707) 575-8988 to schedule a free consultation:
5th Street Spine
635 5th Street
Santa Rosa, CA 95404
(707) 575-8988
