As many as 40% of people experience sciatica at some point in their lives, and the likelihood increases with age.
A person experiencing sciatica feels pain radiating along the path of the sciatic nerve from the lower back, deep into the buttock, and down the leg.
The pain is described as burning or shooting pain, sometimes experienced along with numbness, and usually (though not always) localized to one side of the body. It can range from mild to debilitating and can prevent people from normal daily activities.
It’s also merely a symptom of an underlying problem.
Essentially, the nerve is being irritated or compressed somewhere along the line. Common causes are:
If you begin to feel sciatic pain, it’s a good idea to go easy with your physical activity for a bit. Take a few days to give your body rest, do some stretching to see if it relieves your pain, and take over-the-counter medication like ibuprofen to reduce inflammation. You can also try hot and cold packs on your lower back.
Atlas orthogonal is an extremely successful treatment for sciatica. When the spine is in alignment, the nerve is no longer pinched--and the pain disappears.
Spinal decompression is another approach that relieves the compression of nerves and lengthens the spine.
Chiropractic exercises are specific exercises that won’t aggravate the nerve but keep you active--which is important for the healing process.
Lifestyle changes can also lead to improvement; such as changes to posture for sitting, standing, sleeping, etc. to promote spinal health. They can also help to address existing issues (like obesity, diabetes, and smoking) that can predispose people to having sciatic pain in the first place.
Consider the case of thirty-year-old “Sabrina,” who came into Dr. David Nygaard’s office with constant and severe sciatic pain in her right leg (and starting in her left), preventing her from basic activities like walking down the stairs.
She had already seen three chiropractors over a span of three years, as often as three times per week, with no improvement. She decided to see Dr. David Nygaard, her fourth chiropractor, as a last resort before having surgery out of desperation.
After her very first Atlas adjustment, she felt she had more energy and simultaneously felt rested, calmer, and less anxious. She felt like she could finally relax.
After two months, her pain was gone. She felt like “a different person” compared to when she was in pain. “Ask my son, I was grumpy and grouchy. It’s hard when you’re in pain!”
Dr. David Nygaard treated her with Atlas orthogonal adjustments as well as spinal decompression. She’s back to a regular, active lifestyle, with a much better quality of life.
Check out her video testimonial here
If you’re struggling with sciatic pain, let’s see if we can’t get you similar results!
Contact us today to learn about Atlas Brain and Body and the many conditions we treat. 828-253-0700
Dr. David Nygaard, MS, MBA
Board Certified Atlas Orthogonist
Atlas Brain and Body
(828) 253-0700
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Atlas Orthogonal chiropractic is not a part of the core curriculum at most chiropractor colleges, but it does exist as an entirely separate specialty that requires students or established doctors to learn and develop competencies outside of basic chiropractic education.
Dr. David Nygaard is board certificated in advanced upper cervical care; Atlas Orthogonality. There are currently less than 250 worldwide doctors that has achieved this advanced certification.
A major difference between upper cervical chiropractic specialists and traditional chiropractors is that the doctor will not adjust the patient without x-rays.
Dr. David Nygaard relies on detailed imaging and precise calculations. At Atlas Brain and Body we understand the importance of your care. Diagnostic imaging is an important first step in providing you with a tailored treatment plan that will ensure that every treatment is effective.
The high frequency digital x-ray technology allows for precision and accuracy when determining your misalignment. The reason that your Atlas adjustment is so precise is because of these very specific x-ray imaging. Getting started requires 4 images; 1 from the side, one from the back of your head and 2 from the front. These images are the analyzed with a unique computer program providing a unique blueprint of where your misalignments are.
Atlas Orthogonal treatment would be impossible without these images.
Upper cervical chiropractors specialize in the most important part of your nervous system – the brain stem. Think of the brain stem as the junction box for your communication between the brain and the rest of your body.
Misalignment at the base of your skull can interfere with this communication. The most critical area to have properly aligned in your body is the vertebrae that are located below the skull (known as the atlas and axis – the first and second cervical vertebrae).
The upper cervical misalignment is the most complex and difficult region of the spine to align, but when correction is achieved the results can be simply amazing.
Specialized specific care also means that fewer adjustments will be needed.
The focus of upper cervical chiropractic is to establish the proper relation between the skull and the top vertebrae called the atlas. This removes any interference to the nervous system that may be present as a result of an atlas misalignment.
As the correction in the upper neck is achieved the entire body is brought back into balance as stress on posture nerves feeding the brain stem is relieved. This is why people with problems even in the lower part of their body respond well to the Atlas Orthogonal correction.
Patients notice changes throughout their entire body as normal alignment and posture is restored.
Atlas adjustments have full body consequences, while traditional chiropractic mobilizes stuck joints. This single segment focus has less of a full body affect.
Atlas adjustments help to restore your brain to body communication.
After your Atlas adjustment, your doctor will check to evaluate your nerve pressure to feel that it has been relieved and that the top vertebrae are now in proper alignment.
You will be also asked if there is any tenderness or soreness present.
Your doctor will also measure and validate that your body is in a state of balance and that your leg length analysis shows the legs are even.
The Atlas Orthogonal procedure is one of the most gentle chiropractic treatments in the world. It employs a unique approach that focuses solely on spinal adjustments and never involves twisting or cracking, which makes it safe for even those with severe fear of being manipulated.
Patients feel little to no discomfort during treatment as they are only feeling light pressure from their spine being adjusted without any other manipulation techniques used by more traditional chiropractors like popping joints back into place or adjusting them using rotational motions often seen in many forms of manual therapy.
One concern people have when thinking about visiting a chiropractor is safety. People often are scared because they have the wrong idea of what treatment will actually be like.
Because Atlas Orthogonal treatments are so precise these adjustments are extremely safe. The adjustment is delivered by an instrument that uses just 3 pounds of force.
Watch a Patient Describe Her First Atlas Adjustment
Contact us today to learn about Atlas Brain and Body and the many conditions we treat. 828-253-0700.
Dr. David Nygaard, MS, MBA
Board Certified Atlas Orthogonist
Atlas Brain and Body
(828) 253-0700
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Those who depend on a morning cup of coffee or tea know the feeling of cloudiness that precedes their caffeine consumption--and how much clearer they feel afterward.
However, for some people, the feeling of brain fog continues throughout the day and never really lets go. They report feeling tired, hazy, and forgetful. They have a hard time focusing and an inability to concentrate. It’s also common to experience head pressure.
It can be difficult to tease out the causes and frightening to seek a diagnosis--especially when you feel like you can’t think straight. That is where an expert can help.
And the good news here is that the treatment is non-invasive and drug-free.
Upper cervical chiropractic treatment can be successful in treating brain fog because the brain depends on proper blood supply and spinal fluid circulation to function optimally.. If there is instability or misalignment in your upper cervical spine, it’s possible that the vertebral artery is obstructed and impeding blood flow to the brain. Or just as importantly, spinal fluid flow can be adversely altered. This can lead to brain fog and/or head pressure
Some patients report dramatic improvement, even after a single adjustment.
Consider the story of Callie, a patient who came in to see Dr. David Nygaard four months after a fall. She was suffering with headaches and a general feeling of cloudiness and mental confusion, a lot of pain in her neck, an inability to sleep, and discomfort all the time.
After her first adjustment, she was brought to tears as her central nervous system came back online for the first time since her fall.
“I can feel my brain again,” Callie said in a voice trembling with emotion. “I don’t know how else to say it. I feel like I can think the way I was thinking prior to the fall, not that I really noticed that I wasn’t myself as much as I’m noticing now that I feel like myself again now that I’ve had the adjustment. And it’s kind of overwhelming how a tiny little tap has affected me this morning. I’m looking forward to continuing, coming back, and getting better and better.”
Another patient, Donna, reported a similar experience: “When I first came to Dr. David Nygaard, I felt like my brain was dead, like my body was so disconnected. He did the Atlas adjustment, and after only a month, I feel like I’ve gotten my life back, I’m able to form words now. I’m really thankful for Dr. Nygaard and these adjustments. Just do it!”
Regardless of your specific situation, Dr. David Nygaard can properly diagnose if a neck injury is the cause of your brain fog and compromised functioning nerve system function.
An Atlas adjustment may be precisely what your brain is craving.
Contact us today to learn about Atlas Brain and Body and the many conditions we treat. 828-253-0700
Dr. David Nygaard, MS, MBA
Board Certified Atlas Orthogonist
Atlas Brain and Body
(828) 253-0700
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