Sciatica; How Will I Get Relief?
Your sciatic nerve runs from your spine down the length of your leg. It has roughly the girth of a thumb
and can cause a lot of pain and dysfunction if irritated or impinged anywhere along its pathway.
Many people are misdiagnosed with sciatica when they have general pain down the back of their leg.
However, true sciatica traces a very specific pain pathway and must be below the knee to be considered.
How does my sciatic nerve get impinged?
The most common place for sciatic nerve impingement is in the piriformis muscle, superficial to the
gluteal muscles. Anatomically, most people’s sciatic nerve travels underneath the piriformis. However,
there are some cases where the sciatic nerve exits above the piriformis, or even through it, causing
unnecessary nerve irritation. This can result in inflammation of the sciatic nerve, and burning pain
down the length of the entire leg. Irritation can also be caused by a tight piriformis muscle, which can
potentially be relieved by stretching.
Another very common way for the sciatic nerve to be irritated is from traumatic injury, where scar tissue forms around the nerve, making it harder to glide back and forth with movement. Imagine running your hand along sand paper. It is likely to become red and irritated. Now imagine putting oil on your hand and running it along a piece of smooth plastic.
Your hand is free to move, without getting caught and adhered to the surface. You have much less irritation and you are also able to move your hand much faster, thereby increasing its function. People with sciatica can work to break up scar tissue to increase motion and glide of the nerve. Talk to your chiropractor about how to break up scar tissue.
How is a chiropractor going to help my sciatica?
People who suffer from sciatica get very good results from chiropractic adjustments. These adjustments help to increase pelvic and lumbar spine motion and stability, while decreasing muscle spasm and promoting good posture. Chiropractic adjustments stimulate the nervous system and remove all interference, so your body is able to heal more efficiently and return to normal biomechanics.
What if I have pain down the back of my leg, but not past my knee? If it’s not sciatica, what is it?
There are many causes of low back pain radiating down the leg. It can be anything from muscle sprain or strain, to facet impingement, or even lumbar disc problems. A very thorough history and exam by your chiropractor will be able to evaluate your health challenges so you can start on the road to wellness!
