If you've been experiencing bouts of sciatica, you will know how uncomfortable they can get. At some point, you probably wondered, "how long does it take for sciatica to go away?" or "what can happen if sciatica progresses and becomes a chronic condition?". Unfortunately, just like any health concern, sciatica's impacts can vary from person to person.
For the lucky ones, this condition can go away on its own. Unfortunately, others have it worse because their sciatic nerve continuously experiences pressure and triggers more sciatica symptoms regularly, making it a chronic condition.
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Sciatica can bring you a significant level of discomfort. If your condition manifests, it can last up to two weeks. For those who experience recurring sciatica episodes, the chronic episodes can last for about three months, with a higher probability of recurring several times a year.
Most cases of sciatica cause extreme discomfort in body parts found along the sciatic nerve pathway. The usual areas include the following:
Now that you have some background on sciatica, let's look into some of the patients' frequently asked questions. Chances are, you also have the same queries about your sciatica symptoms.
So, how long does it take for sciatica to go away? Studies note that sciatica has NO fixed duration. Patients will experience varying symptoms at different points in their life. The pain and discomfort will also last depending on the type, underlying cause, and severity of your sciatica.
If you're suffering from acute sciatica, you will usually have more severe and sudden symptoms that may last for a few days to several weeks, and these symptoms may leave quickly. If you could address and eliminate the underlying condition causing your acute sciatica, you might not experience any symptoms, and it will likely not occur again. However, if the underlying issue remains unaddressed, your symptoms may happen again several times yearly, leading to chronic sciatica.
If you suffer from chronic sciatica, you will likely notice chronic symptoms more frequently than those with the acute type. Sometimes, you will have periods of remission (short periods of no pain or other symptoms). While remissions are primarily temporary, they offer patients like you a brief period to recharge and prepare for another flareup or episode. Additionally, it can help you have more time to identify the root cause and work from there to make sure your bouts of sciatica symptoms stop happening.
Whenever you experience any symptoms, we encourage you never to overlook and ignore them. As per sciatica, permanent nerve damage may occur if you experience chronic pains and continuously ignore them. That's because the severe pain may indicate nerve compression or damage.
Sciatica can cause irreversible nerve damage that will bring you severe back and leg pain, and eventually, this pain and discomfort may spread to other parts of the body. Some patients even end up not responding to pain medication anymore and experience chronic pain that prevent them from functioning properly.
You would not want permanent nerve damage as it may lead to worse health problems for you in the long run. Please keep track of your symptoms and avoid ignoring them. After all, your health and overall wellness should be the top priority to ensure you are at your best.
There are several ways to relieve pain and discomfort caused by sciatica, and you may get recommendations such as:
Some patients who experienced chronic sciatica swear by how upper cervical chiropractic has helped relieve their symptoms. This unique chiropractic technique is guaranteed natural and non-invasive and can help deal with sciatica symptoms with a lesser chance of recurrence or chronic pain.
If you're unfamiliar with upper cervical chiropractic, this technique only manipulates or adjusts a misalignment in the top two bones of your spine. These bones are called the atlas and the axis. They sit directly under the skull and on top of the other vertebral bones.
Your licensed chiropractic doctor will not give you an adjustment right away. Instead, on your first visit, you will undergo tests such as a specialized x-ray to identify if a misalignment may be triggering your sciatica symptoms. Upper cervical doctors also use specific tools to determine the severity of the misalignment. Once everything is confirmed and your chiropractor sees fit to receive an adjustment, you will receive careful and gentle bone alignment correction in your neck area.
Patients suffering from chronic or recurring sciatica pain might need to start consulting with an upper cervical chiropractor if their pain and discomfort have been going on for a while now. You would not want to risk permanent nerve damage down the line.
Indeed, there isn't a simple answer to FAQs like "how long does it take for sciatica to go away?". Hopefully, you have learned much about sciatica and its symptoms through our discussion above. Additionally, we hope you take advantage of upper cervical care.
Upper cervical chiropractic, albeit unique, has been gaining popularity over the years and has received several patient consultations and positive testimonials. If you are unsure where to find a licensed and trusted upper cervical chiropractic doctor in your area, you may want to check out our upper cervical chiropractic doctors directory.
You will find chiropractors practicing upper cervical care, NUCCA, Knee Chest, EPIC, and other unique upper cervical chiropractic techniques that can help you address your health concern.
Don't let sciatica pain take over your life. Instead, we encourage you to call an upper cervical chiropractic doctor near you today!
to schedule a consultation today.
TV show host Montel Williams describes how specific chiropractic care has helped his body.
The content and materials provided in this web site are for informational and educational purposes only and are not intended to supplement or comprise a medical diagnosis or other professional opinion, or to be used in lieu of a consultation with a physician or competent health care professional for medical diagnosis and/or treatment. All content and materials including research papers, case studies and testimonials summarizing patients' responses to care are intended for educational purposes only and do not imply a guarantee of benefit. Individual results may vary, depending upon several factors including age of the patient, severity of the condition, severity of the spinal injury, and duration of time the condition has been present.
