What Causes Sciatica?
Sciatica is a term used to describe irritation of the sciatic nerve, or sciatic nerve pain. The sciatic nerve is the largest nerve in the body, supplying your legs with muscular and sensory information. It is made up of the L4-S3 nerve roots, coursing down the back of each leg until it splits into two at the knee. There, it forms the tibial and peroneal nerve where it travels through the calf into the feet. Mild to severe pain anywhere along the path of the sciatic nerve can be called sciatica.
Disc Herniations and Sciatica
The sciatic nerve can trigger pain if it’s irritated, compressed, or inflamed. The most common reason for sciatica to occur is from mechanical compression on the nerve from a lumbar (low back) disc herniation. Sciatica is classified as a type of lumbar radiculopathy, meaning pain and symptoms originating from the lumbar spine. Spinal stenosis (narrowing of the lumbar spine) and anatomical instability can also cause sciatica. There are studies that report sciatic nerve pain can also occur from immune system responses from disc material exposure. Last but not least, the sciatic nerve can become entrapped or compressed from muscles as seen from the research on deep gluteal pain syndrome.
Sciatica Symptoms (you may only have 1 or many of these)
- Low back pain
- Leg pain
- Numbness, tingling, or weakness in the leg or foot
- Hamstring tightness and/or pain
- Shin splints
- Calf pain
- Achilles pain
- Plantar fasciitis type pain in the foot
Sciatica Treatment
The Solutions Sports and Spine team will start with a very thorough history and extensive examination to be able to locate whether your sciatic nerve pain is from a lumbar disc herniation, deep gluteal pain syndrome, or something else entirely. We have extensive experience in managing this condition. Some of the techniques we may utilize include Neurodynamics, Mckenzie Method, Stecco Fascial Manipulation, Dermal Traction Method, Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization, Neurocentric Approach, Chiropractic Adjustments, and Spinal Decompression.
