Drs Collin and Alorna Dolan are local chiropractors in the Aurora/Naperville area that own Dolan Family Chiropractic located on Eola Rd. Together they treat a wide variety of injuries in their office that occur in men and woman of all ages. As the cold weather of winter pushes in, one of the most common injuries that is seen in the office is sciatica. Chiropractic gets good, fast results treating sciatica without the use of prescription drugs or costly surgeries.
Sciatica is defined as low back pain with associated radiating pain down the back or side of the leg in one or both legs. The leg pain can be accompanied by numbness and/or tingling in the distribution of the sciatic nerve. Further pain can exist in the low back or in the upper buttock region. Neurological manifestations of sciatica include muscle weakness in the leg, diminished reflexes, sensory loss, and loss of coordination and balance. If left untreated sciatica can cause permanent nerve damange and muscle atrophy. There are many causes but the most common are peripheral nerve compression by a muscle or bone or nerve compression that occurs at the spine. Common causes of compression at the spine are disc degeneration or arthritis, disc herniation, and misalignment of the bones of the spine caused by muscle spasm, trauma, or repetitive wear and tear from everyday life. Another common cause of sciatica that is often overlooked is spasm and tightening of the piriformis muscle in the upper buttock region. This condition is called piriformis syndrome. The sciatic nerve passes directly under, and in some cases, through the priformis muscle naturally. Spasm and shortening of this muscle can cause nerve compression and leg pain with little to no low back pain. In any case, a trained professional should access the injury first to determine a correct diagnosis and advise on a proper treatment plan.
At Dolan Family Chiropractic we use a simple and effective treatment plan to relieve pain, promote soft tissue healing, increase range of motion, and restore normal strength and stability to the low back and leg. Through the use of gentle chiropractic techniques specifically designed for the treatment of sciatica, pressure is taken off the sciatic nerve by stretching the associated muscles and realigning the bones of the spine to allow proper movement and healing without further irritation or injury to the nerve. We incorporate physiotherapy techniques such as ultrasound and electric muscle stimulation to relieve pain and relax muscle spasms, as well as an easy stretching program to be done at home to further relax the low back and leg. If you have any questions or would like to speak to either of the doctors personally you can call (630) 236-3090 or check out the office website at www. Dolanchiro.com
