What is Sciatica?

Sciatica is inflammation or compression of the sciatic nerve, which is the largest nerve in your entire body! It originates in the low back and travels down the buttocks to the backs of the legs, and even sends branches of the nerve across the knee and into the feet! People suffering from sciatica have symptoms, which may include: pain, numbness, tingling and muscle weakness in some or all of these areas of the body.

So how does the sciatic nerve get inflamed or compressed? Well, there are a few reasons why this may happen:

Misalignments of the spine can pinch off the nerve
A bulging or herniated disc in your back compresses the nerve, which causes it to become irritated
A tight gluteal muscle, called the piriformis muscle, compresses and/or irritates the sciatic nerve

So what can you do if you have sciatica? Well, the first step is to get a proper diagnosis, so you can get appropriate treatment. Chiropractic treatment has been shown to greatly relieve symptoms associated with sciatica. In fact, a study published in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics showed that people suffering from sciatica who received chiropractic care, saw noticeable improvements in their symptoms when all other forms of treatment have failed! Consider getting checked by a chiropractor if you think you may have sciatica!