An often overlooked treatment that is highly successful for slipped or herniated disc is available in our office. This is a non-surgical alternative procedure for relieving low back, neck, arm and leg (sciatica) pain.

Treatment is directed towards relieving pressure on structures such as nerves and disc that may be a major source of pain. It can relieve the pain associated with bulging, herniated and degenerative disc. If you or someone you know have any one of these conditions have them call and schedule an appointment to see if they are a candidate for spinal decompression. Chiropractic first, Drugs second and Surgery last!

"Doctor, why do I need an adjustment once a month? I'm feeling fine!" For an answer, let's start with an examination of the human body, which is composed of several hundred trillion tiny cells.

Some of these cells are joined into groups which makes up organs. Some make up bones, some hair and so forth. These systems may work independently of each other or they may work in conjunction with each other. They work, however, only when ordered by the central nervous system.

Your body, like an electronic computer, does what it is told to do by either internal or external stimuli.

As an electronic computer must have an air conditioning system to filter the air in which it works, so must your body. Your built in air conditioning sytem is geared to maintain your normal temperature of 98.6 degrees day and night.

More interesting facts: Your body contains approximately 100,000 miles of blodd vessels, some trillion red blood cells and 232 million nerve fibers. Your heart pumps about 3,000 gallons of blood every 24 hours.

I think that after marveling at these facts performed by your body, you will decide that it makes sense to maintain the central nervous system which controlls all the other systems. We see to it that our car has regular oil changes, grease jobs and tune-ups. Why not do the same for your irreplaceable body? Remember, we can install new parts for a damaged car or simply relegate it to the junk yard. But the body has no trade-in! Let us help keep yours in mint condition with a monthly adjustment. It pays to maintain good health.

Perhaps you’re already aware that a number of lifestyle factors increase a person’s risk of developing sciatica, including smoking and obesity. However, new research reveals that cycling and walking could have an equally effective opposite effect. A recent study followed a group of over 35,000 people for up to 30 years. It discovered that the risk of being hospitalized for sciatica was increased by 33% if people smoked or were obese, while regularly commuting to work by bicycle or on foot lowered their risk by 33%.

The Risks Involved in Developing Sciatica
The study reported that up to 5% of people suffer from sciatica, an often painful condition. Sciatica normally originates from a compressed nerve root and herniated disc, which causes shooting pains along the sciatic nerve. This extends from the lower back right down the back of a person’s legs. Even though it rarely leads to hospitalization or surgery, it’s often considered a more severe and long-lasting source of low back pain. Four long-term studies were analyzed by the team in Finland, with a total of 1,259 hospitalizations for sciatica occurring during the follow-up time of 12-30 years. The researchers looked at various risk factors, including occupation, education, sex, age, obesity, body mass index, and smoking, along with the duration, intensity, and frequency of physical activity. Although smokers saw an increased risk of 33%, former smokers didn’t share this same risk. Furthermore, the risk of hospitalization was increased by 36% in obese patients – with abdominal fat increasing the risk to 41%. However, regardless of any other activity or the body weight of the patient, commuting to work via bicycle or on foot reduced their risk by 33%.

Overcoming Sciatica
Speaking about the study, lead author, Dr. Rahman Shiri, said they were surprised to see that no effect on hospitalization was witnessed by any other form of leisure time physical activities. However, they believe this may be due to the fact that regular, moderate activities like cycling and walking don’t add strain to the back as opposed to higher-intensity exercises that will. Although the study was limited by the fact that it only used self-reported data and couldn’t verify additional health factors for sciatica hospitalization, it does emphasize the benefits of moving around frequently, maintaining a healthy weight, and not smoking. Furthermore, studies have indicated that sciatica patients noticed a significant improvement when they underwent a number of treatments, including spinal manipulation. This process is carried out by a licensed doctor of chiropractic to reduce the nerve irritability that causes pain, muscle spasm, inflammation, and other symptoms associated with sciatica. If your sciatica is causing you discomfort and pain, contact your local chiropractor today.