What is Sciatica?
Sciatica is used to describe any pain associated with the Sciatic nerve, which is the largest and longest nerve in the body. Emerging from the low back, it exits through the buttock and travels down the leg. Pain, discomfort, weakness, numbness and/or sensations usually is felt in one leg, can may have a variety of causes. Sciatica can be a symptom or side effect; or even a disorder in and of itself. The term Sciatica is also often used as a generic term to describe any radiating low back or leg pain; related to the Sciatic nerve or not.

What causes Sciatic pain?

True Sciatica is an irritation of the Sciatic nerve. However the most common cause of Sciatica is a herniated (or bulged, protruded, extruded) disc. A herniated disc is when the jelly-like substance inside the disc protrudes out and then it can cause pressure on the nearby nerves. These nerves then all converge together deep inside and exit through the Sciatic notch (a spot in the buttocks) to become the sciatic nerve. This causes inflammation, pain, burning, weakness, sensations and numbness along the nerve path through the lower back and down the leg. Though typically associated with the spine, you don’t necessarily have to or will; but could have back pain associated with it.

Other causes may be:

• Injury to low back
• Piriformis syndrome: a pain disorder involving the narrow muscle in the buttocks
• Pregnancy: the baby can indirectly put pressure on the nerve.
• Lumbar Spinal Stenosis: the narrowing of the spinal cord in the lower back
• Spondylolisthesis: when a disc slips forward over the vertebra below it
• General wear and tear

How do I know if I have Sciatica?

Those who suffer from Sciatica feel mild or sharp burning pain in the lower back and anywhere along the nerve pathway which runs from the lower back through to the buttock and the back of the thigh and calf. There may also be numbness, tingling or weakness in the leg.

Who gets the condition?

• Anyone can suffer from Sciatica.
• Most often happens between 30 and 50 and, most often in men. But any age or gender can and will.
• Those who perform jobs that require lifting for long periods.
• Women during pregnancy often complain about sciatic nerve pain as the ligaments in the pelvis loosen the baby can put pressure on the sciatic nerve.
• Anyone with a history of back pain or problems

When to seek treatment for Sciatic Pain?

With all conditions the earlier you seek treatment the quicker the recovery. If you have been having issues for more than a few weeks you likely need some help to heal the initial issue and the resulting sciatic pain.

Chiropractic and Physical Therapy are great solutions for combatting Sciatic pain. Our providers will find the cause of the sciatic pain and treat not only the inflammation along the nerve pathway but also the initial injury causing the nerve pain. Controlling swelling, reducing inflammation, exercises to strengthen and strengthen will all decrease pressure on the Sciatic nerve.

If you are pregnant it will likely not completely alleviate until after you give birth however treatment can make the pregnancy less painful and keep you more mobile.