CAUSES OF SCIATICA:
The sciatic nerve is a big nerve which travels down the back of your leg. Your sciatic nerve is usually about the
thickness of your thumb. It is made up of nerve roots which come from the lower back area known as the lumbar spine. When the sciatic nerve becomes irritated, the pain starts at the buttock. It may radiate into the thigh, to the knee, into the calf, and sometimes into the foot. Numbness in the calf, shin, or foot frequently accompanies sciatica.
Sciatica often responds very well to chiropractic care, acupuncture, and massage therapy.
Disc Herniation:
Sciatica can come from a herniated disc. The discs are the "shock absorbers" between your vertebrae. They are essentially a gel-filled hydraulic pad. The gel (called the nucleus pulposus) is contained by
layered rings of tough fibers (called the annulus, which is Latin for "ring". When the fibers making up the ring are torn due to great force, or when they wear out and crack with age, the nucleus is no longer well-contained and the disc can herniate and press on one of the nerve roots. If the pain extends into the foot, sometimes the pain distribution makes it obvious which of the nerve roots is compressed. Some people have nerve root distributions that vary from the norm, though, so the only truly accurate way to tell is to have an MRI scan.
Even if a disc is herniated, this does not necessarily mean surgery is the only answer. Cox flexion-distraction chiropractic technique is often very effective in reducing the size of the herniation and relieving the pain.
Piriformis Sciatica:
As the sciatic nerve makes its way to the leg and foot, it passes through a tunnel between layers of muscles
. The most well-known of these muscles is the piriformis muscle. There are other deep hip muscles which can compress the sciatic nerve as well. Plus, sometimes trigger points in the muscles may cause radiating pain and tingling which mimics sciatic nerve pain.
To stretch out the piriformis muscle, try the lateral hip stretch on our exercise video page.
Massage therapy and acupuncture can help piriformis sciatica. Sometimes, chiropractic
adjustments, to align the pelvis and sacrum and take strain off the muscles, are also needed.
OTHER CAUSES:
Sometimes the cause of sciatica can be simple, like a wallet pressing directly on the nerve, or a door which sticks, requiring you to bump it with your hip when you go in and out. Some patients don't need treatment, once they realize what is causing the problem and take care of it!
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