Looking for a sports rehab center in Santa Monica, California ? Prodigy Chiro-Care and Spinal Rehab is your premier Santa Monica chiropractor and massage therapy center, offering treatment for ciatica, headaches, sports injuries, muscle tension, back pain, herniated discs and many other spinal-related health problems. We believe in educating our patients about their condition and working one-on-one with individuals to determine the best course of treatment and chiropractic method to employ.

Sciatica Is No Laughing Matter

If you suffer from sciatica, you understand the debilitating state this condition can create. Sciatic nerve pain, or sciatica, is a particular form of nerve damage. The sciatic nerve is responsible for controlling the muscles in the buttocks and down through the back of the knee and the lower leg. The sciatic nerve also provides sensation in the back of the thigh, the lower leg and the sole of your foot. If you've injured your sciatic nerve, you will most likely feel pain beginning in your hip and backside and running all the way down your leg. Unfortunately, this particular type of pain can be unbearable, as it only takes a small movement to trigger the discomfort.

Direct trauma or external pressure for an extended period of time can sometimes cause sciatic nerve pain. Pelvic fractures, gunshot wounds or other trauma to the buttocks or thigh are also common causes of sciatica. People who suffer from diabetes are also prone to experiencing sciatic nerve pain, partly because diabetes can cause neuropathy. The resulting pressure from a nearby tumor or abscess can also compress the sciatic nerve and cause this type of pain.

While it's true that sciatica can resolve on its own, that process can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks, which may understandably be longer than you're willing to endure the pain. Chronic pain from the sciatic nerve requires ongoing treatment to relieve the pain. The first step is to undergo clinical diagnosis to ensure that sciatica is the cause of your discomfort. Your general practice physician or your Santa Monica chiropractor will make recommendations for treatment. If you consult with a general practice physician, you will most likely be given anti-inflammatory medications and put on bed rest or restricted duty. By visiting a specialist at a sports rehab center in Santa Monica, you can benefit from the expertise of a professional chiropractor, trained to treat this particular type of discomfort.

If you are suffering from sciatica, you are well aware of the painful symptoms associated with this condition, as well as the sensation changes and weakness of the foot or knee. More specifically, this can manifest in the form of numbness, tingling, burning, severe pain, decreased sensation or other abnormal feelings. Additionally, people who suffer from sciatic pain may experience difficulty walking and an inability to move the foot or bend the knee. Participation in athletics is virtually impossible while suffering the pain and discomfort of sciatica and unfortunately, no cause can be identified in many cases.

If you suspect you may have sciatica, contact your Santa Monica chiropractor at Prodigy Chiro-Care mmediately for a thorough examination. Your chiropractor will conduct a physical exam and may also perform nerve root tension tests to confirm the presence of sciatica. If you've been diagnosed with sciatica, we invite you to thoroughly explore your options before committing to any single treatment modality.

By all means, we urge you to consider alternative therapy methods before consenting to the substantial risks associated with surgery or with pain killing drugs that may prove ineffective in resolving the issue. Physical therapy, stretching and strengthening exercises can be helpful in addition to anti-inflammatory medications, and in Santa Monica, massage therapy for sciatica is available through Prodigy Chiro-Care.

Can You Identify a Pinched Nerve?

The term "pinched nerve" is commonly used to describe the sudden onset of pain, numbness, tingling or urning in an isolated area along a nerve path of the body. A nerve is basically a microscopic cellular extension extending all the way from the brain into the extremities, muscles or skin. Nerves collect sensory input which travels to the brain to relate feeling, and returns from the brain to cause movement. For example, if you touch something hot, the nerves in your hand send a message back to the brain and your brain then sends a message back telling your hand to move away from what's hot. Fortunately, this whole process happens virtually instantaneously.

A pinched nerve occurs when a nerve is compressed or pinched. This often happens when the space between vertebrae does not properly close. Pinched nerves in the back can be caused by degenerated disks or bone spurs, and can be particularly painful. Assorted types of injuries can also cause the vertebral joint to become inflamed, which leads to muscle tension around the area. This type of vertebral stress can cause temporary nerve compression which ultimately results in pain.

Because the spinal nerves travel down into the arms and legs, a pinched nerve in the back may manifest or appear as leg pain, which can make it a challenge to accurately diagnose the source of the pain. If you experience recurrent or extreme extremity pain, see a professional physician or chiropractor for a complete evaluation. Have your doctor carefully determine, and then explain to you, exactly why your nerves are being pinched before recommending any appropriate treatment.

The goal of any pinched nerve treatment is to remove or reduce the compression of the vertebrae, to help the muscles relax. This will minimize inflammation and reduce or eliminate the associated pain. Chiropractic treatment can aid in decreasing or eliminating inflammation and thereby reducing the pain of a pinched nerve. Regular chiropractic care can decrease your risk of injury and possibly reduce the risk of future pinched nerves.

Treatment for a Herniated Disc

You may be more familiar with the common name for a herniated disc, which is often referred to as a "slipped disc." This occurs when nucleus tissue is moved from the center of one of the spinal column discs into the spinal canal. A herniated disc, also called a prolapsed disc or ruptured disc, causes extreme pain in the lower back and leg, or possibly in the neck and arm, depending on the location of the prolapsed disc.

A herniated disc can occur from accident or injury, or from gradual, repetitive straining of the lumbar spine over time. For example, if you frequently perform work in your garden without proper stretching and without using ergonomic postures or tools, the repetitive nature of the work can cause muscle strain and strain of the spine over time. The most common symptoms of a herniated disc include leg pain which feels like an electric shock, muscle weakness in and around the ankle, and tingling, numbness or pins and needles. The most urgent sign of a herniated disc is bower or bladder problems, any of which deserve immediate medical attention.

Possible treatment modalities for a herniated disc include surgery, physical therapy, back braces and supports, and bed rest alternating with movement (combined with anti-inflammatory medications and pain pills). Chiropractic treatment and massage therapy can provide relief from pain associated with a herniated disc, as the technique helps remove pressure and inflammation from the affected area. If you suffer from sciatica, pinched nerves, herniated discs or any other form of back pain, contact the professionals at Prodigy Chiro-Care today by calling (310) 899-1166.

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