Sciatica refers to pain caused by the sciatic nerve that carries messages from the brain down the spinal cord to the legs. Pain caused by sciatica most often radiates down one side from the lower back into the leg, often below the knee. The most common cause is disc problems in the lower back. These are referred to as herniated or bulging. Injury to this area causes inflammation which irritates the nerve and causes pain. Sciatica most often occurs in people who are between the ages of 30 and 50 years old.

IS SCIATICA CAUSING MY BACK PAIN?

This is a great question and the answer I give my St Petersburg Sciatica patients is to have a thorough exam with a professional chiropractor that you trust. With an exam a chiropractor can identify symptoms that are common to those suffering from sciatica. Weakness in the legs and or tingling or numbness may be present. After Identifyng sciatica symptoms I make sure to discuss the findings and treatment steps with each of my St Petersburg patients. It is very important to determine what the actual cause of the sciatica is so that the underlying cause can be addressed.

Some very common causes of sciatica are the ones mentioned below:

– Bulging or herniated discs in your spine
– Degeneration of spinal discs
– Spinal stenosis (narrowing of the spinal canal)
– Spondylolisthesis (when one or more vertebrae are out of line with the natural curve of the spine)
– Piriformis syndrome (when the piriformis muscle in buttocks presses on the sciatic nerve)
– Muscles that are tight or out of place due to natural formation, injury, or overuse, that press on the sciatic nerve.

TREATMENT FOR SCIATICA

The treatment of Sciatica can be different from patient to patient depending on the underlying cause. Our priority at Bond Thomas Chiroprcatic is to treat your sciatica with all natural non invasive methods and educate our patients every step of the way.
A safe, natural way to treat pain from sciatica is to remove the pressure on the sciatic nerve. At Bond Thomas Chiropractic of St Petersburg we use spinal adjustments, massage and other natural therapies to eliminate sciatic nerve pain. These drug free, all natural treatments are very successful and get our patients back to normal activity quickly.