Sciatica Pain Triggers
If you’ve ever experienced sciatica pain before, you know it’s no joke. It’s an aching pain that affects the sciatic nerve, a large nerve that extends from the lower back down the back of each leg. The team at Brielle Integrated Healthcare is trained to identify the symptoms of sciatica and pain triggers; keep reading for more.
Symptoms of Sciatica
- Lower back pain
- Pain in the buttocks or the leg that is typically worse when sitting
- Hip pain
- Burning or tingling down the leg
- Weakness, numbness, or difficulty moving the leg or foot
- A constant pain on side of your buttocks
- A shooting pain that makes it difficult to stand
How Sciatica Pain Feels
Sciatica usually affects only one side of the lower body, with pain most commonly extending from the lower back all the way through the back of the thigh and down through the leg. Depending on where the sciatic nerve is affected, the pain may also extend to the foot or toes.
In extreme cases, sciatica pain can be severe even debilitating. In others, it may just be infrequent or irritating, however it always has the potential to worsen if not treated.
Sciatica Pain Causes and Triggers
Here are some common reasons for sciatica pain:
- Piriformis syndrome – when the piriformis muscle (found in the buttocks and connects the lower spine to the upper thighbone and runs directly over the sciatic nerve) spasms in the back or buttocks and puts pressure on the sciatic nerve. *Often triggered when men wear a large wallet in their back pocket.
- Lumbar spinal stenosis – narrowing of the spinal canal in the lower back
- Degenerative disc disease – a breakdown of discs which act as cushions between the vertebrae
- Spondylolisthesis – a condition in which one vertebra slips forward over another one
- Tumors along the spinal cord or sciatic nerve – a rare occurrence where tumors put pressure on the nerves that branch off from the spinal cord
- Injury or infection – can include muscle inflammation, infection, or injury such as a fracture, all of which can put pressure on the sciatic nerve
- Pregnancy – typically during late pregnancy when the uterus rests on muscles of the lower back and pelvic floor and spreads tension to the muscles of the upper and lower leg, causing them to swell and put pressure on nearby nerves
Additionally, certain lifestyle choices can make sciatica pain even worse and include being overweight, not exercising regularly, wearing high heels, or sleeping on a mattress that is either too hard or too soft.
Stop Sciatica Pain
Do you suffer from sciatica pain? Brielle Integrated Health can help! Our Doctor of Chiropractic will evaluate the problem area and create a treatment plan that may involve specialized massage techniques with one of our certified massage therapists, chiropractic adjustments, physical therapy, or acupuncture. For more information or to schedule an appointment, please contact us today at 732.292.9900.
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