Sciatica

You have probably heard of sciatica or experienced it yourself. It’s a fairly common

condition characterized by pain along the path of the sciatic nerve which typically

follows a path from the lower back, through the buttocks and down the leg with a

number of possible causes. Others have defined simply as leg pain originating form

the lower back radiating down one or both legs. It is not always as bad as it seems

but it is always worth getting your chiropractor to give it a look. So before we go into

specifics of things you can do to avoid or manage sciatica lets have a quick anatomy

lesson.

Not all sciatica is caused by the same thing but typically it involves some sort of

irritation or disturbance of the sciatic nerve along its path. It originates in the lower

region of the spine and passes through the buttock and travels down the leg. It

provides nerve supply to important muscles along its path including your buttocks,

hamstrings and even your calf muscles. That’s why often when you experience

sciatica you can feel pain all the way down to your toes! So what exactly causes the

irritation or dysfunction of this nerve?

1. A prolapsed disc of the lumbar spine. This is perhaps the most common

explanation for sciatica where the disc material causes bulges and causes

irritation to the sciaitic nerve at it’s root.

2. The nerves get entrapped along the way especially in the buttocks. Ever sat

for a very long time and then stood up suddenly feeling a strange tingling or

numbness down the back of your leg? There’s a good chance your buttocks

and your sciatic nerve were not the best of friends because of all the sitting

you were doing. Often described as deep gluteal syndrome the muscles and

other soft tissue of the buttocks and the back of the leg can irritate or entrap

the sciatic nerve.

3. Generalized nerve dysfunction stemming from conditions such as type 2

diabetes. While this typically would present at later stages of diabetes, the

chronically elevated blood sugar can increase the risk of damage to the

nerves.

If you are experiencing sciatica be sure to bring it up at your next visit with your

chiropractor. Most sciatica can be resolved or at least improved with chiropractic

care. There are some things you can do however to be a bit more proactive with

managing this condition. If your job involves carrying a lot of heavy objects, bending

or sitting for prolonged periods you may need to adjusting your posture by taking

regular breaks and staggering the weights that you use. Avoiding bending from the

hip and rather bending the knees to avoid straining muscles along the hip.

Chiropractors are well equipped to diagnose and treat sciatica and can equip you

with the appropriate lifestyle changes that might be most useful in your recovery from

sciaitica. Don’t keep suffering in silence, go and see your chiropractor today!

Dr Mufudzi Chihambakwe