If you’re suffering from sciatica, you’re not alone. In the United States, millions of people suffer from this painful condition. Since the sciatic nerve runs from the lower back to the feet, it can make your legs numb, tingle, and feel weak. In this article, we’ll define it as well as look at its causes, symptoms, and treatments.
What is Sciatica?
The sciatic nerve runs from the lower back to the leg and carries sensations and motor functions. It helps with blood circulation and nerve function. Pain arises when the sciatic nerve gets compressed, irritated, or inflamed from a herniated disc, slipped disc, or some other cause. It is commonly described as sharp, shooting pains in the buttocks and lower back, as well as tingling, numbness, and weakness in the legs.
Those who suffer from sciatica call it “the worst pain they’ve ever felt” because it is the longest of the spinal nerves that emerge from the lower back and travel through a canal in the pelvis before going down the leg. Since it has more pain fibers than any other nerve in your body, as well as runs close to some nerve roots, it can cause severe pain when out of alignment.
What Causes Sciatica?
Many things can cause this debilitating condition. It’s often caused by disc injuries. When there’s a bulging or herniated disc and the nerve can’t move through the spin, the pain travels down one leg with a tingling sensation. Although sciatica is typically caused by a back or spine injury, it can also be caused by pregnancy, obesity, arthritis, and bad posture. The two most common classifications of sciatic pain are radicular pain and herniated disc pain.
What are the Symptoms of Sciatica?
Sciatica symptoms vary depending on the severity and kind of damage.
Here are some common symptoms of sciatica:
* Pain in your lower back and the left or right-side buttock
* Pain in your thigh or calf
* Weakness or numbness in one or both legs
* Tingling, burning sensation, pins, and needles in one or both legs
* Difficulty walking
What Are Effective Treatments for Sciatica?
Since sciatica is a medical condition that causes pain in the back, hips, and legs because the nerve roots in the lower back or hip become irritated or compressed, it is amenable to a variety of treatments. Some of them include physical therapy, chiropractic treatment, acupuncture, epidural steroid injections into the spine to reduce inflammation, and surgery.
Sciatica is an affliction of the sciatic nerve, which is a long nerve that runs down your leg from the back of your pelvis. This common condition has many causes and a variety of symptoms. Immediate, temporary relief can be experienced through stretching exercises, and there are many long-term effective treatment options available as well.
Request An Appointment
Islandwide Chiropractic has been treating musculoskeletal injuries, work-related injuries, and sports-related injuries since 2002 when Dr. Stan Velkovich founded it. He offers Active Release Techniques (ART), whole food supplementation counseling, and FootMaxx orthotics. In addition, his clinic provides treatments like the Erchonia Laser, the Graston Technique, and soft tissue mobilization. If you would like to schedule an appointment with us, please call us at 516-248-2870 or visit Islandwide Chiropractic online. Our office is located at 230 Hilton Ave, Suite 220, Hempstead, New York 11550.
