Sciatica

What is sciatica?

Sciatica is a symptom of any condition that causes pressure or irritation to the sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve is located on both sides of your spine and travels from your lower back, through your buttocks, down the backs of your legs, and ends at your feet. With sciatica, you can experience symptoms anywhere along the length of the sciatic nerve and symptoms typically occur on only one side of the body at a time.

What are the signs of sciatica?

Sciatica symptoms can vary from mild to severe discomfort, though the severity of your symptoms doesn’t always indicate the cause of your pain. Common signs of sciatica include:

• Buttock pain
• Sharp, shooting pain from your buttock into your leg or foot
• Numbness and tingling in your leg or foot
• Pain that is worse when bending forward or stretching your hamstrings
• Muscle knots or adhesions in the muscles of your buttocks
• Muscle cramping in your leg
• Decreased range of motion

Sciatica symptoms can also be isolated to a specific area, such as your buttock or foot, and don’t have to extend throughout the length of the nerve to be classified as sciatica.

What causes sciatica?

As sciatica is caused by anything that puts pressure on or irritates the sciatic nerve, possible causes of your discomfort can include:

• Piriformis syndrome
• Muscle strains or spasms in the lower back
• Herniated discs
• Spinal stenosis
• Sacroiliac joint dysfunction
• Arthritis
• Postural changes associated with pregnancy or obesity
• Prolonged sitting

It’s also possible that sitting on your wallet or sitting with your legs crossed can put pressure on your sciatic nerve or increase the intensity or frequency of your symptoms.

How is sciatica treated?

Treatment for sciatica depends on the cause and severity of your symptoms. The team offers comprehensive treatment approaches to address all potential causes of sciatica, including:

• Chiropractic adjustments
• Decompression therapy
• Soft tissue therapy, including massage
• Electrical nerve stimulation
• Therapeutic ultrasound
• MLS® laser therapy
• Active rehabilitation
• Biomechanical screenings for postural issues

The team can combine multiple therapies during your visits to give you the greatest relief possible from your symptoms. Depending on the cause of your sciatica, they outline a treatment plan and explain how long you can expect your recovery to take in addition to stretches or exercises you can do at home to speed up your recovery.

Get relief from your sciatica symptoms by scheduling a visit online at River Oaks Chiropractic Clinic or by calling now.