Hard to believe, but each year 100,000 Americans have surgery to get relief from knee pain. But is it always necessary?
In my 20 years as a doctor of Chiropractic, I’ve found that people can sometimes avoid the pain and recuperation of knee and leg surgery.
How? Through the use of natural, conservative treatments like chiropractic, exercise therapy and weight loss. This is especially true of osteoarthritis patients with knee pain. Watch our video on knee and leg pain here.
If you would rather not undergo surgery, and risk the possibility of accumulating scar tissue, consider the far less costly ways to get the relief you’re looking for.
Research suggests that chiropractic adjustments can benefit osteoarthritic knees. In fact, in one study, patients reported a significant drop in pain as well as less clicking and grinding in their knees.
Their mobility was enhanced and they were able to perform daily tasks more easily. Plus, with chiropractic, there are no adverse side effects.
Why does chiropractic work so well for osteoarthritis of the knees? There are several reasons. The first is the biggest. When you decide to take a less invasive route to healing, you’re choosing to make a lifestyle change. That’s huge!
Committing to an overall healthier body will make tremendous changes in your whole life.
Secondly, by adjusting the knees, I help to restore normal joint alignment and gait. That, in turn, reduces inflammation. I’ll also talk with you about including activities that will continue to promote flexibility and mobility for you.
Acupuncture can also help provide relief. In a 2012 meta analysis of almost 18,000 people, acupuncture was found to help with osteoarthritis, as well as other types of chronic pain.
Acupuncture results take time, usually longer than 12 weeks. So monitor your results after each session. I often use acupuncture to further assist healing.
Chiropractic and Sciatic Nerve Pain
Sciatic pain can literally stop you in your tracks. It’s that painful. Symptoms range from dull, achy pain, sharp, toothache-like pain, to a pins and needles type feeling, or an electric shock-like sensation.
Sciatic pain is generally caused by sciatic nerve compression, and that is caused by lumbar spine subluxations, herniated or bulging discs, pregnancy and childbirth, and tumors.
Men sitting on their back pocket wallets can cause sciatic pain, too!
With Western medicine, painkillers are often prescribed to treat sciatica. If symptoms don’t improve after an initial round of medication, the recommendation is to undergo spinal decompression surgery, or microdiscectomy.
Over 300,000 of these surgeries are performed here in the U.S. every year. However, in 10-20% of cases, microdiscectomy does not relieve the original pain symptoms.
I encourage you to call my office first, Lowman Chiropractic, Staunton, VA, before making the aggressive decision to go under the knife! It could save you thousands in medical bills and get you the relief you want without the long surgical recuperation.
The Chiropractic Approach To Treating Sciatica
I'll talk with yo
u about the kind of pain you’re experiencing. Depending on your symptoms, I'll choose the right therapy to fit the cause of your sciatic pain.
Generally, the range of treatments include:
- Ice/cold therapies
- Ultrasound
- TENS unit (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation)
- Spinal manipulation
It's important to understand that allowing your body to heal itself takes some time. We'll set up a treatment schedule and I'll provide you with some additional information to help you at home.
Consider choosing a conservative medical route first for both sciatica and leg and knee pain.
Please call my Staunton, VA office. I would love the opportunity to show you how you can heal your body and return to the activities you love--without a lengthy surgical recuperation. 540-886-5500.