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The Remedy for Sciatica

Apr 28, 2020

What is Sciatica


Sciatica, also known as lumbosacral radicular syndrome, is caused by irritation of your sciatic nerve. This large nerve originates in the low spine and provides innervation to the back of the thigh and leg. With sciatica you may have pain in your buttocks and hip that travels down your thigh and possibly even into the back of the foot. The pain can be sharp, dull, deep, and shooting, with many levels of severity.


Cause


Sciatic pain is most commonly caused by lumbar spine problems, such as a bulging or herniated disc. It can also be caused by bone changes, such as spinal narrowing or stenosis, oseoarthritis or degenerative disc disease, and other arthritic conditions. These situations can put pressure on the sciatic nerve, causing symptoms. True Sciatica is when the hip muscle piriformis gets tight and subsequently irritates the sciatic nerve. This scenario usually happens when there is an instability or alignment issue in the pelvis which strains the supportive pelvic muscles.


Pregnancy and Sciatica


Sciatic pain during pregnancy is quite common, although not normal. In fact, 50-80% of pregnant woman experience some kind of back pain during pregnancy. Sciatic-like symptoms during pregnancy can be caused by muscle tension and unstable joints. Pelvic bone pain, sacroiliac (SI) joint pain, and piriformis syndrome, are common causes of sciatic pain during pregnancy. This is partly due to an increase in pregnancy hormones like relaxin, which can cause ligaments to loosen and stretch, especially in the pelvic area. The added weight from the growing baby can also add to SI joint trouble or piriformis syndrome due to the extra pressure on your pelvis and hip joints. Occasionally even the position of your baby can add pressure to your sciatic nerve.


Symptoms of sciatic pain include:


  • occasional or constant pain in one side of your buttocks or leg
  • pain along the sciatic nerve pathway, from the glute down the back of your thigh and to the foot
  • sharp, shooting, or burning pain
  • numbness, pins and needles, or weakness in the affected leg or foot
  • difficulty walking, standing, or sitting

Remedies


Sciatica treatment is the perfect reason to see your chiropractor. Left untreated Sciatica can lead to serious nerve damage and potentially irreversible chronic pain. Due to sciatica being mostly caused by alignment issues, spinal damage, or musculoskeletal imbalances, a chiropractor would be the best expert to help. Physical therapy will not correct the pelvic imbalances permanently or assess the health of the spine itself. Our office has helped many patients (both pregnant and not) with sciatica. If you follow the correct protocols, sciatic pain can be a thing of the past. For temporary relief, try these stretches daily to alleviate some of the discomfort.


1. Piriformis stretch seated


2. Table Stretch


3. Pigeon Pose


4. Hip Flexor Stretch


5. Glute/Hip Foam Rolling


 https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12178-008-9021-8#citeas


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