Sciatica

Sciatica is a painful symptom of a nerve compression that makes standing, walking and sitting painful. Sciatica pain comes in different intensities and takes different forms, but usually appears in the form of persistent pain in one buttock that goes down the leg. Tingling or burning pain can sometimes numb or weaken the leg. Sciatica is not a condition by itself, but a symptom of a pinched sciatic nerve.
  • Pain concentrated on only one side of your lower body
  • Sharp shooting pain along the sciatic nerve
  • Numbness in your legs
  • Dull aches
  • Pain when standing
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Anxiety

The pelvic and lumbar spine are usually the sources for sciatic issues. These areas of the spine are very complicated, and it can be difficult to locate the problem. Some patients say that all they did was bend over to pick up a piece of paper and they were hit with extreme pain.

Sciatica is actually a sign that you have an underlying problem putting pressure on a nerve in your lower back. The most common cause of this nerve compression is a bulging or herniated lumbar disc. Piriformis syndrome is another common cause of sciatica. The piriformis is a muscle that lies directly over the sciatic nerve. If this muscle becomes tight or if you have a spasm in this muscle, it puts pressure directly on the sciatic nerve. Occasionally, sciatic pain in men is caused by sitting on a wallet.

Schedule your visit today and be proactive about your spinal health.

The vast majority of the time, sciatic pain can be relieved through a combination of stretches, deep tissue massage of the piriformis muscle and chiropractic care. Occasionally, in cases where chronic spasm of the low back or piriformis muscles is causing the sciatic pain, it may be necessary to do a procedure called a trigger point injection, where a medical pain specialist injects a small amount of anesthetic directly into a spasmed muscle to break the spasm cycle. However, this is typically not necessary.

To learn more about chiropractic care for Sciatica, schedule a consultation with Dr. Newton or contact us with any questions.

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