If you’re hurting too much to yell ‘Get off my lawn!’, you may have sciatica.
Sciatica refers to pain in the back, hip and leg. It occurs when the sciatic nerve is ‘pinched’, and can happen on one side or both. And since your sciatic nerves are the biggest nerves in your body, sciatica can be really painful!
Your sciatica may have started from playing sports, lifting, or physical activity and exercise. Or maybe from sitting or standing all day. Even arthritis can cause sciatica.
Regardless of the cause, Dr. Keith McGahey of Eastside Chiropractic Group can help! Chiropractic, when combined with manual therapies like Active Release, Graston, and McKenzie therapy, can stop sciatica fast.
What Is Sciatica?
Sciatica happens when you lift like this (Yikes!)
Your sciatic nerve (one on each side of your body) runs from your lower back, through your buttock and down the back of your leg. Sciatica results when this nerve becomes pinched, causing pain and other symptoms to spread down your leg.
Pain from sciatica can range from mild to severe, and can make simple things like sleeping, putting on your socks, working, or getting in and out of a car very difficult.
What Causes Sciata?
Sciatica can be caused by a bulging disc.
Sciatica is caused when your sciatic nerve becomes pinched. The most likely cause of sciatica is a bulging disc. In this case, the disc pinches the nerve where it exits the spine in your lower back. Arthritis can also cause pinching of the nerve, but in this case between the bones in your lower back.
Sciatica can also be caused by wear and tear. Continued strain on your lower back and hips can cause scar tissue to build up and put pressure on the sciatic nerve. This can happen in your lower back, your hip and buttock (Piriformis Syndrome) or even between your hamstring muscles.
Being active, exercise, playing sports, and car accidents can all lead to sciatica. Even sitting or standing all day can put enough stress on your back to cause sciatica.
What Are The Symptoms of Sciatica?
The most common symptom of sciatica is leg pain. The pain may start in your lower back, before moving to your buttock, leg or foot. The pain may shoot down your leg if you move wrong, cough or sneeze. Sciatica may also cause numbness, tingling or even weakness in your leg. Other symptoms include muscle spasm or muscle pain.
Your pain may be more severe in your legs than your lower back. In fact, sometimes there’s no lower back pain at all. Symptoms can range from mild and occasional, to constant and severe. Sciatica can occur in both legs, but usually only affects one.
So, What Can I Do About It?
A pencil won’t help sciatica. But chiropractic can!
For most people, sciatica responds very well to specific therapies. Chiropractic can help return normal function to the joints of the spine. While Active Release and Graston therapy can help break up scar tissue that may be irritating the nerve. McKenzie therapy can help heal a bulging disc, and the pain that goes along with it.
Once you’re better, we can help you strengthen your core and improve posture, to reduce the chance of your sciatica coming back. We can even help with changes to your work space. Whether you’ve had sciatica before or not, prevention is key.
Ready to Feel Better?
Dr. McGahey can help you get to the source of your sciatica, and create a plan to help stop your pain quickly. The treatment is comfortable, and patients often start to feel relief after their first visit. So what are you waiting for?
Get Help Now!
No referral is necessary, and same-day appointments are available. Just call or click to schedule an appointment with Dr. McGahey. You’ll be glad you did!