Everything You Need To Know About Sciatica

Shooting pain is something that no one wants to experience and it can have a huge impact on day-to-day life. Unfortunately, there are lots of different medical conditions that can result in people suffering from chronic pain in their lower limbs, some of which are more common than others, and getting out of bed in the morning can be really difficult when you’re suffering from aches and pains.

One condition that is well-known for causing stabbing, burning or shooting pains starting in the buttock and travelling down the leg numbness is sciatica. This spinal disorder can be extremely painful, but thankfully it is treatable and managing sciatica pain relief is something you can do with the help of a few useful tips. If you’re experiencing pain in your lower limbs and you’re wondering whether this could be sciatic nerve, below we have covered all of the basics about this condition.

What is sciatica?

Simply put, sciatica is a condition where the sciatic nerve is compressed or irritated. This sciatic nerve is one of the longest in the body and it runs from the lower back, through the hips and buttocks, and down the back of the leg to the feet.

If you are experiencing pain in your buttocks, legs, feet and/or toes, then you may have sciatica pain and, contrary to popular belief, you don’t always experience back pain when you have this particular condition. Sciatica pain isn’t always a shooting pain either, you may sometimes experience tingling, weakness or numbness in your lower limbs as well. Usually, people will only experience sciatica pain on one side of their body.

What causes sciatica?

There are lots of different lower back problems that can result in you suffering from sciatica but ultimately, the sciatica pain you experience is caused by something pressing or rubbing against the sciatic nerve. One of the most common causes of pressing against the sciatic nerve and cause of sciatic pain or muscle spasms is a slipped/bulging disc (where the jammy substance inside the disc leaks out), however, other causes can include; spinal manipulation stenosis, spondylolisthesis and back injuries.

Determining the underlying cause of sciatica is really important when it comes to choosing the best treatment option, so be sure to speak to a qualified professional about the chronic sciatic nerve pain you’re experiencing.

Who can suffer from sciatica?

Generally speaking, anyone can suffer from sciatica and this condition can be seen in people who are as young as their twenties. However, most cases of sciatica are in people who are in their forties and fifties, and it is also common in older adults.

How do you treat sciatica?

There are a number of things you can do to for pain relief and relieve sciatica pain. For many people, this condition will get better in two to three months, however, it can sometimes take longer depending on the underlying cause of this spinal disorder.

One thing that is always recommended to help with sciatic pain and other symptoms is exercise. Whilst lots of lower limb conditions require you to rest and heal, sciatica can actually get worse if you spend too much time sitting or lying down. Regularly exercising, even if it is a little bit painful to start with, can be really beneficial to treating sciatica long term.

Your posture can also affect the buttock pain or leg pain that you’re experiencing with sciatica and making sure you have the correct posture can be really helpful. It isn’t uncommon for people to turn to chiropractic care for sciatica treatment and they can help with things such as improving posture whilst both sitting and standing.

In fact, chiropractic care and chiropractic treatment is often recommended to help with sciatica. An experienced chiropractor help with sciatica can determine the underlying cause of sciatica and then move through the different phases of care to help. Often, chiropractic care treatment are accumulative and every time you visit a chiropractor for sciatica treatment, you will build upon what you’ve done together before.

Finding a local chiropractor for sciatica treatment

Should you be suffering from pain in your lower limbs, don’t hesitate to contact our team at ChiroCulture today. We will do all we can to help relieve the pain you’re experiencing and we genuinely care about all of our sciatica patients. We pride ourselves on making people feel welcome and well looked after when they step foot in our clinic, and we will provide you with the expert and professional chiropractic adjustments you need to properly heal your body.

When you turn to us for chiropractic treatment for sciatica symptoms, we will create a tailored treatment plan for you and you can find out more about our consultation process on our website. If you have any questions at all regarding chiropractic care or how a chiropractor can assist you with the different aches and pains you’re experiencing, don’t hesitate to contact our team today.