Sciatica

What is Sciatica?

Sciatica is leg pain that is caused by a pinched nerve in the lower back. Although the pangs begin in nerve roots located on either side of the lower spine, they then course through the sciatic nerve, which runs the length of each leg from the buttock down to the foot. Sciatic pain can vary from infrequent and irritating to constant and incapacitating. Symptoms are usually based on the location of the pinched nerve.

Sciatica Nerve Pain

Sciatica is often characterized by one or more of the following symptoms:

• Constant pain in only one side of the buttock or leg (rarely in both legs)
• Pain that is worse when sitting
• Leg pain that is often described as burning, tingling, or searing (versus a dull ache)
• Weakness, numbness, or difficulty moving the leg, foot, and/or toes
• A sharp pain that may make it difficult to stand up or walk
• Pain that radiates down the leg and possibly into the foot and toes (it rarely occurs only in the foot)

Chiropractic Care

Sixty percent of people with sciatica who didn't get relief from other therapies and then tried spinal manipulation experienced the same degree of pain relief as patients who eventually had surgery, found a 2010 study in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics. The 120 people in the study saw a chiropractor about 3 times a week for 4 weeks, and then continued weekly visits, tapering off treatment as they felt better. In people who responded to chiropractic care, benefits lasted up to a year.

Massage

Don't expect an easy going spa massage if you have sciatica. “In this instance, trigger-point therapy is best, says Jeff Smoot, vice president of the American Massage Therapy Association. The sciatic nerve sits underneath a muscle called the piriformis, which is located beneath the glutes. "When the piriformis muscle gets tight, it pinches the sciatic nerve, causing tingling and numbness down into the leg," says Smoot. He applies pressure to irritated and inflamed areas, or trigger points, in the piriformis muscle, as well as in muscles in the lower back and glutes. Typically, Smoot schedules treatments 7 to 10 days apart”.

General Exercises for Sciatica

Sciatica exercises usually focus on three key areas: strengthening, stretching, and aerobic conditioning.

Strengthening exercises
“Many exercises can help strengthen the spinal column and the supporting muscles, ligaments, and tendons. Most of these back exercises focus not only on the lower back, but also the abdominal (stomach) muscles and gluteus (buttock) and hip muscles. Strong core muscles can provide pain relief because they support the spine, keeping it in alignment and facilitating movements that extend or twist the spine with less chance of injury or damage”.

Stretching exercises
“Stretching is usually recommended to alleviate sciatic pain. Stretches for sciatica are designed to target muscles that cause pain when they are tight and inflexible. Hamstring stretching is almost always an important part of a sciatica exercise program. Most people do not stretch these muscles, which extend from the pelvis to the knee in the back of the thigh, in their daily activities”.

Low-impact aerobic exercise
“Some form of low-impact cardiovascular exercise, such as walking, swimming, or pool therapy is usually a component of recovery, as aerobic activity encourages the exchange of fluids and nutrients to help create a better healing environment. Aerobic conditioning also has the unique benefit of releasing endorphins, the body's natural pain killers, which helps reduce sciatic pain. For anyone in chronic pain or with a relatively high level of sciatica pain, one option for gentle exercise is water therapy, which is a controlled, progressive exercise program done in a warm pool”.