Vacaville Chiropractor Discusses Sciatica: A Symptom or Spinal Disorder?

If you are experiencing pain that is originating from the sciatic nerve in the lower back, it is referred to as sciatica. Sciatica in Vacaville is a lumbar spinal disorder symptom that can inflict mild to sharp and even excruciating pain in the back and leg. Patients with sciatica describe the pain as mildly disturbing to aching, burning, deep, severe, and sometimes feel like sudden bolts of lightning.

Sciatic nerve pain can travel from your buttocks, down the back of the thigh, and into your leg. You may sometimes experience lower back pain while some patients even complain that it can be felt all the way to their foot. Another known characteristic of sciatica is that it can affect either the lower left or right side of the body.

Having sciatica can make your life miserable. Even simple movements like walking, standing, coughing, sneezing, bending over, driving a car, working on household chores, and other daily activities can trigger and aggravate the pain. Patients who have a more acute form of sciatica even reported that their condition has completely disabled and disrupted their quality of life.

Why is sciatica painful in Vacaville?

The reason that sciatica is painful is because the sciatic nerve is known for being the longest nerve in the body. It starts at the back of the pelvis and it runs down toward the hip area and buttocks into each leg. Somewhere around the knee, the sciatic nerve separates into 2 nerves - the peroneal and tibial nerves. The peroneal nerve runs along the side of the calf and ankle while the tibial nerve runs behind the knee. Through the peroneal and tibial nerves, the sciatic nerve innervates the action of several muscles in the lower legs and provides feeling in the thighs, legs, and feet.

Other symptoms of sciatica

Apart from pain, sciatica may come with other symptoms as well. These symptoms include sensations such as burning, numbness, pins and needles, tingling, or muscle weakness. The symptoms can be easily felt in the ankles, buttocks, calves, thighs, behind the knees, and sometimes the feet.

Common causes of sciatica

You are likely to suffer from sciatica if you have bone spurs and/or bulging or herniated discs. Bone spurs are caused by degenerative changes that affect bones and joints in the spine. Normal aging, activities that cause wear and tear, or an awkward lifting position can cause the discs to bulge or rupture. When a disc herniates, the gel-like interior protrudes through the disc's outer ring.

A bulging or herniating disc can pinch the nearby spinal nerves thus leading to inflammation and pain. If the nucleus breaks through the annulus, chemicals will leak from the nucleus which causes irritation on the nerves and the soft tissues will create more compression and swelling.

Nonsurgical sciatica treatments

There several types of non-surgical therapies for sciatica. The treatment plan depends on the cause and severity of your condition. These options are ideal since they will help you avoid spine surgery whenever possible.

Non-surgical treatments may involve one therapy or a combination of the following:

• Acupuncture
• Massage
• Chiropractic care
• Gentle stretching
• Ice pack
• Neuropathic medication
• Physical therapy
• Epidural spinal injection
• An OTC or prescription anti-inflammatory drug
• Medication to relieve muscle spasms and relax tight muscles
• An OTC or prescription for pain-relief