What Is Sciatica?

Sciatica occurs when a nerve in your lower back, often one of the nerves that forms the sciatic nerve, becomes irritated, inflamed, or compressed.

The discomfort can range from a mild, occasional ache to sharp, burning, or electric-like pain that travels down your leg. Some people also experience tingling, numbness, or muscle weakness.

Common symptoms of sciatica include:

  • Sharp or shooting pain in the lower back, buttock, or leg
  • Burning or electric-like sensations traveling down one leg
  • Tingling or a pins-and-needles feeling
  • Numbness in the buttock, leg, foot, or toes
  • Discomfort that increases with prolonged sitting, bending, or certain movements
  • Weakness in the affected leg or foot

Sciatica typically affects one side of the body, although symptoms can occasionally occur on both sides.

Understanding the Different Types of Sciatica

Not all sciatic nerve pain comes from the same source. Identifying what's causing your symptoms is an important part of developing an effective treatment plan.

  • True Sciatica

    True sciatica involves irritation or injury affecting the sciatic nerve itself. This may happen when the nerve becomes compressed or irritated along its pathway through the pelvis, buttock, or leg.

  • Sciatica-Like Conditions

    Sometimes, pain that feels exactly like sciatica actually originates from irritation of the spinal nerve roots in your lower back. Herniated discs, degenerative changes, or narrowing of the spaces where nerves exit the spine can produce similar symptoms.

    Although the discomfort may feel the same, the underlying cause can be different. That's why a thorough examination is so important before beginning treatment.

What Is the Sciatic Nerve?

Your sciatic nerve is the largest and longest nerve in your body, and you have one on each side.

Think of it as a major communication pathway connecting your lower spine to your legs and feet.

The sciatic nerve is formed by nerve roots from the lower lumbar and sacral spine. These nerves come together deep in your pelvis, travel through your buttock, and continue down the back of your thigh before branching into smaller nerves that extend into your lower leg and foot.

What Does the Sciatic Nerve Do?

Your sciatic nerve plays an essential role in how your lower body moves and feels.

It has two primary functions:

  • Movement (Motor Function): Helps control muscles responsible for moving your legs, ankles, and feet.
  • Sensation (Sensory Function): Through its branches, carries sensory information from portions of your legs and feet, allowing you to experience touch, pressure, pain, and temperature.

When the nerve or its contributing nerve roots become irritated, these normal signals can be disrupted, leading to pain, tingling, numbness, or weakness.

What Causes Sciatica?

Sciatica isn't a condition with just one cause. It's a collection of symptoms that can develop when nerves in the lower back or along the sciatic nerve pathway become irritated.

Some common causes include:

  • Herniated or Bulging Discs: A spinal disc can press against or irritate nearby nerve roots, creating pain that travels into the leg.
  • Spinal Stenosis: Narrowing of the spinal canal or nerve openings can place pressure on spinal nerves.
  • Degenerative Disc Changes: Age-related changes in spinal discs and joints may contribute to nerve irritation.
  • Spondylolisthesis: When one vertebra slips forward relative to another, it can narrow the space available for nearby nerves.
  • Deep Gluteal Syndrome: Structures or muscles deep in the buttock can sometimes irritate or compress the sciatic nerve.

Understanding the source of your discomfort helps determine which treatments are most appropriate.

How Can Chiropractic Care Help Sciatica?

At Twisted Spine & Joint, our goal is to do more than temporarily ease your discomfort. We want to understand what's contributing to your symptoms and help you move more comfortably and confidently.

Your visit begins with a discussion about your symptoms, medical history, and how the pain affects your daily activities. We'll evaluate your spinal movement, muscle strength, reflexes, and nerve function as appropriate to help identify the possible source of your discomfort.