Sciatica basically means irritation of the sciatic nerve, which is a large nerve running down each leg and originating in the nerve roots that exit from the lower back part of the spine.
Symptoms may include pain in the back, buttock and/or various parts of leg and foot, including knee pain (sometimes severe). There may also be numbness, tingling, muscular weakness, and loss of sensory perception in all or part of the leg.
Early treatment usually leads to a good response, whereas leaving it ‘to see if the pain will go away’ can allow further irritation leading to increased inflammation and swelling of the nerve, causing pain and further irritation and a rapidly worsening situation.
There are a number of possible causes of sciatica. These include spinal disc herniation, facet joint damage, spinal stenosis and compression of the nerve as it passes through a muscle (piriformis syndrome), and a few other less likely but still real possibilities. Early assessment by a qualified chiropractor means that appropriate treatment can begin to treat the cause of the sciatica and not just try and relieve the symptoms.
Assessment usually starts with a physical examination including relevant orthopedic and neurological testing. This often will identify the level at which the compression is occurring. Imaging such as X-ray, CT scan (computerised tomography), or MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) is sometimes used as an extra diagnostic tool.
The important thing to do if you are having symptoms that you think may be sciatica is to contact an experienced chiropractor for an assessment. The sooner you start treatment the more likely you are to have the situation resolved quickly. At the Mt Albert Chiropractic Centre, I have been successfully treating people with sciatic pain for over thirty years.
Call David today to make an appointment for an assessment and start your journey to better health.
