What You Need To Know
Sciatica refers to pain that radiates along the sciatic nerve, the longest nerve in the body
Your sciatic nerve is the longest nerve in your body. It exits out of your lower back and travel through your hip until it reaches the bottom of your foot. It controls touch and feel to your legs, as well as, muscle activation of the majority of your leg. Sciatica can be caused by a number of different condtions which include:
- Herniated or bulging disc
- Piriformis syndrome
- Lumbar stenosis
- Injury or trauma to the back
Proper examination is key for sciatica. Our team possesses the clinical experience and skills needed for proper diagnosis of what is causing your sciatica.
Check out Chiropractic can help diagnosis and treat your sciatica
Common Symptoms of Sciatica
Symptoms help diagnosis what is causing the sciatica
Pain associated with sciatica often occurs on one side of the lower back and shoots into the buttock, hip and lower leg. Sometimes, numbness or tingling can occur in the lower leg or foot. Muscle weakness can occurs in the lower leg, specifically the foot and ankle. Important questions that our doctors will ask you during your initial visit include:
- Do you have a history of back pain?
- Does your back pain/buttock pain/leg pain get worse with coughing?
- Does the tingling or pain occur all the way to the bottom or top of the foot?
- Have you started a new exercise routine or daily activity that is affecting your hip
These questions, along with others and specific orthopedic test, help make sure we know the specific cause of your sciatica. If indicated, our team may recommend xrays of your low back or a possible MRI referral.
