Sciatica is a form of radiating back pain. It is very common and can have a significant impact on day-to-day life.
What exactly is sciatica?
The condition is named after the large leg nerve, the sciatic nerve, which runs from the lower back through the hip and down into the leg. Someone with sciatica can feel a sudden, sharp, stabbing or cutting pain anywhere along the length of that nerve.
How badly people are affected varies from person to person. For some the pain is mild and settles on its own; others have severe symptoms that, in rare cases, can lead to weakness in the leg or foot muscles. The duration varies too: sciatica may occur once and stay away after treatment, or it can become chronic. In that case people remain sensitive to it, with symptoms flaring up to varying degrees over weeks or months.
Symptoms that can point to sciatica include:
- Lower back pain made worse by coughing, sneezing or straining.
- A burning or numb sensation.
- Muscle weakness and loss of strength.
- Slower reflexes in the legs and feet.
- Tingling and/or pain in the legs, feet and toes.
- Cramping muscles and tenderness when pressure is placed on specific spots along the nerve.
Sciatica is often linked to a herniated disc or to lower back problems. With chiropractic care we work on the underlying cause, so you can move smoothly again. Not sure whether chiropractic is right for you? Read what to expect at your first visit or explore all of our treatments.
