It only takes a few pounds of pressure in the wrong spot in your lower back to set off an entire barrage of symptoms. When you have fatigue, chronic pain, and numbness all at once, you may find the normal challenges of daily life too much to handle. Sciatica is a common nerve issue that can suddenly flare up when you wake up or bend over to pick up your toddler. Learn about the symptoms, causes, and risks of sciatica to free yourself from the burden of hip and leg pain.
What is Sciatica
When an injury or strain leads to pressure on the sciatic nerve, you will end up diagnosed with sciatica. This nerve usually becomes irritated by a case of compression somewhere in the lumbar region of the spine. While many people mistakenly assume that this term refers to general back pain in that area, there are a range of specific symptoms that help sciatica stand out from other problems of the spine or nerves. Since the sciatic nerve is the longest one in the body, it can cause pain in a surprising range of locations.
Sciatica Symptoms
If you are dealing with irritation in the back alone, you may or may not have sciatica. Call our Goose Creek team when experiencing other symptoms like:
- Leg pain that is worse when seated
- Lasting pain in the rear or hips
- Restriction in movement or reduced flexibility
- Stabbing sensations that makes standing difficult
- Irritation that extends from the hip to the foot
- Weakness in the legs
- Symptoms on one side of the body or the other
Cause of Sciatica
Nearly all cases of sciatica involve compression of the nerve as it passes throught the lower spine or the hip. Narrowing of openings in this area can seriously affect your legs. A sampling of the causes of sciatica include:
- Spinal stenosis – a conditional that narrows the spinal canal
- Misalignment – When one vertebrae in the back slips over another, the sciatic nerve could be at risk
- Hernaited discs – A bulging spinal disc puts a lot of pressure on nearby nerves
- Bones spurs-rough edges on the vertebra
Sciatica Risks
While some patients develop severe sciatica pain unexpectedly one day, there are a range of behaviors and inherited risk factors that increase the chance that you will experience this condition. Try to eliminate risks like:
- Sedentary lifestyle that involves a lot of sitting and little walking or standing
- Smoking and alcohol abuse
- Playing full contact sports or activities that require repetitive bending or twisting
- Obesity and excess weight
- Failing to stretch and warm up before exercise
- Traumatic injury to the hip, legs, or back
Sciatica Treatment Options
It is possible to avoid and relieve the pain of sciatic nerve compression with some self care. However, you shouldn’t have to skip over your favorite activities just to prevent irritation. Don’t agree to surgery before sampling some of the conservative options we offer at our Goose Creek clinic. You can find long lasting relief without turning to surgery by trying our treatments that include:
- Exercise plans that help you build muscle strength without further damage to the nerve
- Recommendations for heat and cold therapy to relieve irritation
- Chiropractic care and massage to eliminate the compression on the nerve
- Safe Sarapin injections that stop overwhelming pain so other treatments can be applied
Find Solutions for Sciatica
When you enter our conveniently located clinic, you become a part of our family. Your recovery from the pain and limitations of sciatica is our priority. We start with a full suite of tests to determine if any old injuries or recent infections are causing your issues. Once the issue is pinpointed and fully understood, we can start reversing the damage and pressure that is leaving you uncomfortable. No matter what problem lies behind the sciatic pain, Back 2 Health Physical Medicine can handle it–contact us today!
