Sciatica is a common problem, especially among older adults. Patients with sciatica experience severe and potentially debilitating back and leg pain that makes it difficult to get through the day. Dr. Scott Craig provides effective, customized treatment to patients with sciatica in Scottsburg, Indiana. The goal of treatment is to address the underlying cause of sciatica to give patients long-lasting relief. To make an appointment with Dr. Craig for sciatica treatment, please contact 1st Place Health today or schedule online with their appointment tool.
Sciatica is a painful condition that occurs when your sciatic nerve becomes irritated or inflamed. This nerve runs from your lower back through your hips and down each of your legs.
When you have sciatica, you may experience severe pain that radiates from your low back and follows a path down one of your legs. This pain may be sharp, burning, and/or excruciating. Many patients with sciatica experience more pain when they cough, sneeze, or sit for a long period of time.
Sciatica can develop any time changes in your spine affect your sciatic nerve. It can also occur because of other chronic conditions that cause nerve damage. One of the most common causes of sciatica is a herniated disc in the low back. Herniated discs develop when one or more of your intervertebral discs is damaged, allowing the soft interior of the disc to bulge out and press on the nerve.
Dr. Craig can usually diagnose sciatica based on a physical exam and a description of your symptoms. However, in some cases, he may recommend imaging tests to rule out certain issues that may require a different type of treatment, such as bone spurs in your back.
In addition to treating sciatica, Dr. Craig offers treatment for patients with other types of back pain as well. Other sources of back pain Dr. Craig can address include:
Before recommending any treatments, Dr. Craig will review your medical history and the results of your exam to identify all of the issues that contribute to your pain. Based on this information, he’ll develop a customized treatment plan. This plan may include:
Medical massage
Medical massage targets stiff muscles in the back that may be making pain from sciatica worse.
Physical therapy
Strategic physical therapy exercises can help you reduce a herniated disc and/or strengthen weak areas of your back.
Trigger point injections
Trigger point injections block pain by targeting specific parts of your body with medications.
Chiropractic adjustments
Dr. Craig can use chiropractic adjustments to improve the alignment of your spine and relieve sciatic pain.
