Sciatica: Pain Triggers and Treatment
Sciatica pain is an aching pain that affects the sciatic nerve – a large nerve that extends from the lower back and down the back of each leg. Those who suffer from sciatica are typically between the ages of 30 and 50 and experience pain on one side of the lower body all the way through the back of the thigh and down through the leg. The good news is that 90% of people suffering from sciatica pain can fully recover without the need for surgery. Read more…
What are the Symptoms of Sciatica Pain?
Anyone who’s experienced sciatica pain can easily identify the symptoms, which range from a tolerable ache to intense pain. These often include:
- Lower back pain
- Pain in the buttocks or the leg (typically worse when sitting)
- Hip pain
- A burning or tingling sensation down the leg
- Weakness, numbness or difficultly moving the leg or foot
- Pain on the side of your buttocks
- A shooting pain which makes it difficult to stand
What Causes Sciatica Pain?
Degenerative Disc Disease.
Also known as a herniated disc, this condition is a breakdown of the discs that typically “cushion” the vertebrae. The gel-like center of a disc pushes through its outer lining and presses on the roots of the sciatic nerve.
Pregnancy.
Sciatica typically affects women late in pregnancy when the uterus rests on muscles of the lower back and pelvic floor and spreads tension to the muscles of the upper and lower leg. This tension causes the legs to swell and adds pressure to nearby nerves, including the sciatic.
Spinal Stenosis.
A condition most commonly found in adults over the age of 60, spinal stenosis occurs from the natural wear and tear of vertebrae. This leads to a narrowing of the spinal canal, thus putting pressure on the roots of the sciatic nerve.
Piriformis Syndrome.
Guys, this one impacts you! When you wear a large wallet in your back pocket, it can cause the piriformis muscle (the muscle that connects the lower spine to the upper thigh bone and runs directly over the sciatic nerve) to spasm and put pressure on the sciatic nerve.
Tumors.
It’s rare, but tumors along the spinal cord or sciatic nerve can put pressure on the nerves that branch off from the spinal cord.
Injury/Infection.
Any kind of disruption to the muscle – inflammation, infection or injury – can put pressure on the sciatic nerve.
Lifestyle.
Lifestyle choices can trigger sciatic pain, such as being overweight, not exercising regularly, wearing high heels or sleeping on a mattress that is either too hard or too soft.
Treatment Options for Sciatica
Most people who suffer from sciatica can improve quickly with at-home remedies such as bed rest, lower back stretches, ice packs and OTC medication. If the pain does not subside after a few weeks or keeps you from doing daily activities, you may want to consider other treatment options such as:
Physical Therapy
This includes stretching and an exercise routine specifically designed to treat sciatic pain. It will also improve your posture to take pressure off the sciatic nerve.
Acupuncture
This is a proven technique which stimulates specific points on the body by inserting thin needles through the skin and helps ease chronic pain such as sciatica.
Specialized Massage
Sacrology is a type of massage that incorporates gentle techniques for treating the psoas and piriformis muscles and surrounding structures.
Ease Your Sciatica
If you suffer from sciatica, we can help! Our studio offers virtual training and one-on-one training options. To learn more about our chiropractic care, acupuncture and specialized massage therapy, please call or text our South Tampa wellness center at (813) 440-3016.
