The Spine
The spine consists of 33 vertebrae, divided into four regions: cervical, thoracic, lumbar, and sacral.
Each vertebra has a pair of nerves branching off each side, which control, activate, and stimulate different body parts, such as organs, muscles, joints, discs, and nerves. If a vertebra is functioning or moving incorrectly, it may disrupt these nerves and cause pain elsewhere.
A chiropractor's role is to examine and test the spine to identify restricted areas. Our expertise allows us to understand the potential side effects of such irritations. We focus not only on the area of pain and dysfunction but also on the origin of the issue.
Your body acts as a map, and the pain you experience indicates which region and specific section of the spine might be causing the problem.
Sciatica
One of the most common conditions we encounter in the clinic is sciatica. This condition has a specific pain pattern, typically felt at the back of the leg. Pain in other areas has different names and originates from different parts of the spine.
Sciatica generally stems from the lower lumbar spine. Research indicates that 90% of cases are due to a herniated or "slipped" disc, which might result from an injury or accident years ago. We thoroughly discuss your medical history, as patients often overlook past incidents, like a fall down the stairs decades ago, that didn't require hospitalization but may have initiated the problem. We investigate and develop a plan to address the issue.
Another cause of sciatica is natural degeneration. Although people fear the term arthritis, it's a normal part of life. Some individuals experience degeneration earlier, affecting their spine. Lifestyle choices or hormonal changes may contribute to this degeneration. The body's response is to produce more cartilage, which, if positioned near a nerve, can cause irritation. Additionally, as discs dry out and shrink, they may irritate nerves.
Stenosis is a condition where the spinal canal narrows, typically occurring after age 60. Lateral (side) stenosis is often diagnosed via MRI, and bony irritation near the nerve can cause referred pain.
Spondylolisthesis
This condition is frequently observed. A patient's history and symptoms often suggest it before an X-ray confirms it.
A 'spondy' occurs when a vertebra slips, possibly with or without a stress fracture, and can result from childhood incidents, slips on ice, sports injuries, or changes in bone quality. If it irritates the nerves, it can also cause pain.
Facet Irritation
Simple joint irritation typically results from poor posture, such as sitting at a desk all day or excessive phone use. By the time patients visit us, joint irritation rarely appears in isolation; it's often a symptom of one of the aforementioned conditions.
Sciatic pain can radiate from the central lower back, through the buttocks, down the back of the thigh, calf, and into the foot. You don't need to experience the entire path to have sciatica; you might only feel mid-thigh pain or pins and needles in the foot.
The most crucial aspect of our care is determining the cause of your leg pain.
We examine the entire spine and conduct various neurological and orthopedic tests to accurately assess your condition. Through comprehensive questioning, we arrive at a diagnosis that satisfies both you and us.