What Causes Sciatica?
Sciatica, also called sciatic nerve pain and sciatic neuropathy, is a medical condition linked to compressed or inflamed nerve roots. Sciatica causes lower back pain that radiates down the legs along one or both sides of your body. The sciatic nerve joins nerve roots in the lower back, extending to the buttocks, legs, and feet.
Pressure on the nerve most often occurs when the jelly-like content from within a herniated lumbar spinal disc irritates the nerve. Other causes include acute lower spine injury, misalignment of the backbones, lumbar spinal stenosis, spondylolisthesis, and piriformis syndrome. Pressure on the spine from obesity or pregnancy weight can also trigger the condition.
Typical Symptoms
Patients usually complain of dull or sharp shooting lower back pain. Pain starts at the nerve root and travels along one or both sciatic nerve pathways to the hips, buttocks, legs, and feet. The pain may worsen when you stand, sit, or move. Other symptoms include numbness, tingling, or weakness felt in the buttocks or lower extremities.
Sciatica Treatment from Our Chiropractor in Fox Chapel, PA
Chronic sciatic nerve pain can interfere with your ability to move freely and carry out daily functions. We can help prevent this, first by diagnosing the underlying cause of your symptoms, then by performing spinal adjustments or non-surgical decompression therapy to provide lasting relief.
At your appointment, Dr. Donald Cenk will ask about your symptoms and medical history. He may perform a leg raise test, spinal x-ray, and nerve test as part of a detailed evaluation.
Spinal adjustment is a technique done by hand or with a low-force instrument to return the vertebrae to proper alignment. This takes the pressure off the spinal disc, nerve, and relieves lower back pain, numbness, and tingling. Freeing trapped nerves reduces inflammation, helps the nerves and disc heal, and allows the nervous system to better regulate pain signals in the body.
Decompression therapy provides similar results. During this therapy, our chiropractor will apply motorized traction to decompress the spine, which helps extruded disc material pull back into the disc and away from nerves. We typically integrate chiropractic massages, cold laser therapy, stretch exercises, and other natural therapies to heal and strengthen soft tissues.
Natural Relief at Cenk Integrated Health
Don’t let sciatica get on your nerves. Visit us at Cenk Integrated Health in Fox Chapel, PA, or call (412) 967-9767 to schedule an appointment for personalized chiropractic care.