Sciatica
Sciatica refers to pain that radiates into your leg. It can be accompanied by low back pain, hip pain, leg numbness, or weakness. True sciatica extends the length of the leg, but similar types of issues can involve only part of the leg.
To understand your pain, you must first understand how the spinal nerves work as it relates to sciatica. Spinal nerves from the lower back (L4 to S2) come together to form the sciatic nerve which extends down the back of your leg and branches off to most of the posterior structures of your leg and foot. When this nerve becomes pinched or irritated by the structures of the lower back or hips, Sciatica can result. Typically, this will cause sharp leg pain that radiates down the back of the leg, and is generally worse with movement or changes in position, or with sustained postions. It may or may not be accompanied by low back or hip pain. Often times there is an underlying condition causing the problem, such as a subluxation (misalignment of a vertebral bone), muscle spasm, herniated disc or spinal stenosis (narrowing of the space where the nerve exits the spine). While rest, anti-inflammatories and ice can help manage with the pain, they don’t do any thing to correct the underlying condition. Not having some sort of treatment will generally causes the underlying problem to get slowly worse, and more chronic. Each time it comes back it will continue to get worse until your condition becomes chronic or constant.
Our doctors use chiropractic adjustments, massage therapy, and physical therapy not only to help manage your pain but also to treat the underlying condition that has caused the problem. At Back Works Chiropractic, we have special tables called flexion/distraction tables. These tables get excellent results in treating Sciatica, especially if it is being caused by a bulging disc or sciatica. For more information on flexion distraction therapy, please click on our treatments link. If feel like you may have Sciatica or would like to discuss your individual problem in more detail, call for a free appointment today.
