Understanding your pain and why it occurs can ultimately lead you to faster recovery. The sciatic nerve is located in the spine, runs into the lower back, and is responsible for causing lower back pain for many Americans.
The Sciatic Nerve
The sciatic nerve is the longest in the body and stretches through the buttock into the lower leg. This nerve can wreak havoc for all those muscles along the way. At our Atlanta chiropractic clinic, our medical team work tirelessly to provide patients relief from such nerve pain, which can be debilitating if left untreated.
The sciatic nerve allows sensation along the lower half of the body as well as the thighs, legs, and foot. When the nerve becomes irritated, or inflammation is present, pain can occur, as well as a variety of other symptoms.
Symptoms
Although many symptoms can present with sciatic nerve pain, the most common is when there is irritation on the nerve, and the pain flows directly alongside the nerve pathways, as well as being located on one side of the body. Tingling, aching, and burning sensations can occur, or others have reported that they feel as if they are being poked with pins and needles. As a result, weakness can occur in the leg or foot.
As a general rule, sciatica develops slowly and progressively, rarely beginning with intense pain. The pain is normally exacerbated by long sitting sessions, bending, sneezing, or coughing as well as sudden movements.
Diagnosing Sciatica
When meeting with your physician, your symptoms will be discussed as well as your medical history to help determine what could be causing your pain. As the sciatica is a nerve, a neurological assessment will also be conducted on the legs and spine. The strength of your legs, as well as your ability to perform certain movements, and reflexes will all be evaluated.
Treating Sciatica
With sciatic nerve pain, there are many approaches to treatment; however, a conservative non-invasive approach is usually the first suggested. Chiropractors can perform this type of care as the main focus is on addressing spinal issues and restoring function and mobility. When spinal adjustments are performed, irritation and inflammation of the nerve decrease resulting in minimized pain.
If sciatic nerve pain has you down, our Atlanta chiropractors are ready to provide you with the relief you deserve. Contact our team of chiropractors today by dialing (404) 889-8828 and speak with our compassionate staff to learn more about how we can help!