Sciatica Explained
Sciatica is a term to describe pain in the lower extremity due to irritation of the sciatic nerve.
Sciatic nerve exposed...
The sciatic nerve is the largest nerve in the body.
It is formed from several smaller spinal nerves that emerge from the spinal cord in the lower back or lumbar spine.
In the lower back, the spinal nerves are numbered L1 through S2.
There is a wide variation from person to person in which nerves come together to form the sciatic nerve.
Soem people have a sciatic nerve that is comprised of L2-5.
Others may have a sciatic nerve from L3-5.
The sciatic nerve provides nerve energy to the lower extremity from the buttocks down to the toes.
Sensations of hot/cold, pain and vibration are carried through this nerve.
Motor function (muscle control and strength) are also carried through the sciatic nerve as well as reflexes of the knee and ankle.
Symptoms vary depending on which part of the nerve is affected.
Some people will have only buttock pain, while others will experience pain from both buttocks all the way down the legs to the toes.
While others will have only numbness or pain in the tip of the large toe.
Sciatica occurs when a portion of the sciatic nerve is irritated either physically or chemically.
Impingement of a lumbar nerve root that makes up the sciatic nerve by a disc bulge, herniation or tumor can cause sciatica.
Acids leaking out of a degenerative disc and onto a nerve root may also cause the symptoms of sciatica.
Sciatica may also occur if the nerve is irritated anywhere along it's course down the leg.
"Piriformis syndrome" is a condition where due to chronic muscle spasm and contracture of the piriformis muscle (a deep muscle of the buttocks) the sciatic nerve becomes "pinched" causing leg pain.
Diagnosis of sciatica involves a careful physical examination to elicit where the pain is emanating from and then following up with proper medical imaging such as plain radiographs (x-rays) and/or MRI.
Sciatica that fails to respond to 1 month of conservative therapies of medication, chiropractic or acupuncture or that recurs must be evaluated with an MRI to determine the underlying cause of the sciatic irritation.
Today, thanks to newer computerized medical technology, detecting the cause of sciatica is easier than ever.
And because of ever expanding knowledge and technological breakthroughs, sciatica sufferers are no longer limited to old treatments such as surgery and fusion.
Non-invasive, non-surgical options are available for select cases that can relieve the pain and disability of sciatica in a matter of weeks with very little risk of side effects.
Sciatic nerve exposed...
The sciatic nerve is the largest nerve in the body.
It is formed from several smaller spinal nerves that emerge from the spinal cord in the lower back or lumbar spine.
In the lower back, the spinal nerves are numbered L1 through S2.
There is a wide variation from person to person in which nerves come together to form the sciatic nerve.
Soem people have a sciatic nerve that is comprised of L2-5.
Others may have a sciatic nerve from L3-5.
The sciatic nerve provides nerve energy to the lower extremity from the buttocks down to the toes.
Sensations of hot/cold, pain and vibration are carried through this nerve.
Motor function (muscle control and strength) are also carried through the sciatic nerve as well as reflexes of the knee and ankle.
Symptoms vary depending on which part of the nerve is affected.
Some people will have only buttock pain, while others will experience pain from both buttocks all the way down the legs to the toes.
While others will have only numbness or pain in the tip of the large toe.
Sciatica occurs when a portion of the sciatic nerve is irritated either physically or chemically.
Impingement of a lumbar nerve root that makes up the sciatic nerve by a disc bulge, herniation or tumor can cause sciatica.
Acids leaking out of a degenerative disc and onto a nerve root may also cause the symptoms of sciatica.
Sciatica may also occur if the nerve is irritated anywhere along it's course down the leg.
"Piriformis syndrome" is a condition where due to chronic muscle spasm and contracture of the piriformis muscle (a deep muscle of the buttocks) the sciatic nerve becomes "pinched" causing leg pain.
Diagnosis of sciatica involves a careful physical examination to elicit where the pain is emanating from and then following up with proper medical imaging such as plain radiographs (x-rays) and/or MRI.
Sciatica that fails to respond to 1 month of conservative therapies of medication, chiropractic or acupuncture or that recurs must be evaluated with an MRI to determine the underlying cause of the sciatic irritation.
Today, thanks to newer computerized medical technology, detecting the cause of sciatica is easier than ever.
And because of ever expanding knowledge and technological breakthroughs, sciatica sufferers are no longer limited to old treatments such as surgery and fusion.
Non-invasive, non-surgical options are available for select cases that can relieve the pain and disability of sciatica in a matter of weeks with very little risk of side effects.
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