What is Sciatica?
Posted by Al Jameson on May 19, 2009 in Chiropractic Care, Conditions, Hip and Thigh, Pregnancy | 2 comments | 1,127 views
Sciatica is a collection of symptoms, mainly pain, usually felt on the back of one leg. Other symptoms include numbness, tingling, weakness of the muscles, and problems moving the leg. It is called sciatica because it is caused by pressure somewhere on the sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve is the largest peripheral nerve in the body that travels from the low back down the back of the leg. It branches into other nerves at the back of the knee.
Diagnosing sciatica is easy but locating the cause of the problem is hard. This is because the problem can be anywere along the path of the nerve from the spinal cord down to the back of the knee. This includes spinal stenosis (narrowing of the spinal canal), spinal disc herniation that puts pressure on the nerve roots at the spine, piriformis syndrome (inflammation and tighness in a small muscle below the glutes), pregnancy (the joints get softer and also the uterus can put pressure on the nerve, or even sitting on a large wallet for prolonged periods of time (know to Seinfeld fans as George Costanza Syndrome). Considering the range of diagnostic possibilities, it is very important to have a licensed health care professional specializing in the spine and extremities, like a chiropractor, examine the problem.
Treatment for sciatica includes low back and sacroiliac joint adjustments to make sure the joints are moving properly and to reset the nervous system in the low back, breaking the pain cycle. Care could also include trigger point therapy or other muscle therapy on the piriformis muscle and the glutes on the painful leg. The chiropractic doctor may also choose to use heat or ice as well as various forms of electrical therapy to reduce pain and inflammation, increase circulation, and/or relax the muscles.
No nervous system treatment is complete without rehabilitation. This is done after all of the initial passive therapies to make sure that the muscles and nerves are ready for exercise. The goal of this phase of care is to make sure the nerves going to the legs are balanced and function and the muscles are equally strong to help prevent the problem from coming back.
As with any other condition, please make sure to consult a qualified physician, in this case a chiropractor, to properly diagnose and treat the condition.
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