Sciatica is intense pain or an electric shock-like sensation that spreads from your buttocks down one of your legs.
Whether your sciatica is acute or chronic, Zandi Chiropractic can help you find relief from your symptoms.
If you reside in or around Boulder or Denver, Colorado, call the office or schedule an appointment at the most convenient location to diagnose and treat your sciatica.
What is Sciatica, and how does it affect you?
Sciatica is a condition that causes discomfort or tingling down your sciatic nerve, which is a pencil-thick nerve that runs down both sides of your body from your lower back to your buttocks and down your leg. In these locations, each branch forms its own root. The piriformis muscle is positioned in the buttocks, which is where the roots meet. The sciatic nerve is the bundle that results from this process.
The pain or discomfort may come and go, but there’s no reason to put up with it if it interferes with your life.
What causes sciatica?
The nerve roots that exit the lumbar spine L4-S3 form a bundle known as the sciatic nerve. These rootlets fan out like the branches of a tree and pass down through the buttock area, behind the thigh muscles (separating them), and finally, attach onto the popliteal space at the back of knee level where it passes under a tendon known as biceps femoris.
This crossing point is known as the Pudendal canal in medical terms. This is the reason why when someone sits for long hours, the condition worsens.
Even though this nerve is about 40mm in diameter because it passes through several tight passages, tugging at different places can cause either localized pain or radiate along its entire course producing shooting pains down your thigh and leg.
There are basically four herniated discs that cause sciatica problems:
L4-L5 disc bulge is one of the most common causes of sciatica that pushes on the sciatic nerve root between L4 and L5 levels. It commonly occurs due to poor posture with forward-bending while putting stress on lumbar vertebrae (lower back). The condition worsens when you sit for long hours as the bodyweight is constantly pulling on the disc bulge, increasing pressure on the sciatic nerve.
L5-S1 disc herniation – This type of herniated disc occurs at the level of S1 or first sacral segment (base of the spine) and pushes directly on the left side (left buttock, leg, and foot). If there was a fracture in the lumbar spine near the bottom end that allowed one vertebra to slip forward over another, this could cause such problems. Sciatica caused by this condition will start from your back passage (butt hole) and go down below the knee.
Diagnosing Sciatica
The best way to diagnose sciatica is to determine which segment of the back is causing the problem, which requires applying specific nerve tests on your muscles when you have an attack of shooting leg pains (sciatica).
For instance, if an L4-L5 nerve root branch is involved, the pain would travel down into your thigh and calf muscles only in a sitting position (when the lower limb touched against the ground). Still, it will stop before reaching the buttock area (it will never pass this point because the L4 nerve does not supply any muscle).
If this is, rest assured it’s undoubtedly not L5-S1 disc herniation which will cause pain down your calf and the entire length of the sciatic nerve (from butt over the leg to foot).
Sciatica symptoms
Sciatica symptoms differ significantly from person to person. Because the sciatic nerve is made up of many separate roots, problems in one place but not in another might dramatically impact the symptoms you feel.
The following are the most prevalent sciatica symptoms:
- Lower back pain that may or may not go to the buttocks
- Tingling or numbness in one or both feet
- Pain radiating from the buttock to the back of the thigh, calf, or foot in the thigh or leg
- Extreme skin sensitivity and discomfort that feels like it’s burning
- Cramping in the thigh, leg, or foot is a common ailment.
- Weakness in the leg, thigh, or foot
- The hamstrings have an unusual lack of flexibility.
- Foot drops unusually low, resulting in frequent tripping.
Though sciatica is the most prevalent cause of leg pain, other illnesses could be to blame. Leg discomfort is frequently caused by other spinal issues such as ruptured discs or spinal stenosis.
We will employ the most current diagnostic technology and treatment methods to eliminate your leg discomfort, regardless of the cause.
Sciatica treament : How is Sciatica pain treated?
At Zandi Chiropractic, we believe that treating sciatica requires a multidisciplinary approach. We will employ innovative diagnostic tools, non-surgical spinal decompression procedures, and several additional therapies to alleviate your symptoms during your treatment.
You’ll have access and treatment through an experienced team of chiropractors, medical specialists, and Denver physical therapists when you decide to go with your sciatica treatment in Boulder or Denver.
Some people are fast to respond, while others take longer to recuperate. It all depends on the state of the disc or joints that the chiropractor needs to fix.
In most circumstances, the longer the problem remains, the more time it will take to resolve it. The good news is that fixing a problem like this usually takes less time than causing it. Patients frequently report improved overall health after enhancing the posture of their spine and discs.
We are committed to determining the source of your discomfort and assisting you throughout the treatment and recovery process. Please message or call us if you have any questions or would like to book a consultation.
Sciatic pain during pregnancy
Sciatic nerve pain is quite frequent during pregnancy. During the pregnancy, the majority of pregnant women experience at least one episode of sciatic discomfort.
Unfortunately, this nerve discomfort, also known as sciatica, is yet another irritating ache and pain you may experience when pregnant.
What causes sciatica in pregnant women?
The hormone relaxin is produced in greater quantities during pregnancy. By relaxing ligaments and broadening your hips, this hormone aids in the preparation of your pelvis for birthing. As your belly develops, Your centre of gravity shifts and ligaments loosen, which might pinche or irritate the sciatic nerve.
- Increased fluid retention and weight gain can pressure the sciatic nerve as it passes through the pelvis and compresses it.
- Your enlarging uterus may compress the sciatic nerve in the lower region of your spine.
- Your lordotic curve is stretched as your tummy grows larger, shifting your center of gravity forward (the dip just above your butt).
- The muscles in your buttocks and pelvic area may tense and squeeze the sciatic nerve as a result.
- When your baby begins to settle into the ideal birth position in the third trimester, his head might rest right on the nerve.
- Although uncommon, a herniated or slipped disc caused by the increased pressure of your developing uterus can be the cause.
How is sciatica pain treated during pregnancy?
A gentle massage of the lower back can help reduce inflammation and pain around the sciatic nerve. It’s preferable to visit a competent sciatica chiropractor like Zandi Chiropractic who specializes in prenatal massages.
Many chiropractic clinics including Zandi Chiropractic provide customized mom-to-be massages to alleviate all of the aches and pains that occur during pregnancy while also ensuring your baby’s safety.
References:
https://academic.oup.com/bja/article/99/4/461/305514
https://www.aanem.org/Patients/Muscle-and-Nerve-Disorders/Sciatica
Sciatica. Ortho Info—American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons website. Available at: http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00351. Accessed September 12, 2021