Sciatica pain is pain that runs along the sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerves are the body’s longest, running from the lower back down to each leg. They control the leg muscles and provide sensation to the feet and most of the lower leg.

Anything that irritates the sciatic nerve can trigger pain, causing sciatica. This nerve pain can be mild or severe based on the injury. The pain mostly arises from pinched nerves in the lower spine. A herniated spinal disk or bone spurs (lumps of extra bone forming on the edges of spinal bones) can pinch or compress the sciatic nerves.

A disease like diabetes can injure the sciatic nerve; although rare, a tumor can put some weight on the nerve.

How Do You Know If You Have Sciatica Pain?

Is your pain sciatica? Check with these common signs of sciatica pain:

 

• Lower back pain
   

• Shooting pain running down your leg (or legs) and feet
   

• Weakness and numbness in the legs or feet
   

• Pain in your lower back and legs when sitting down or standing up
   

•  Tingling or burning feeling in your legs and feet
   

• Inability to balance, stand, or relax your weight on one leg
   

• Shaky knees

Risk Factors for Sciatica Pain

Certain factors may increase your risk for sciatica pain. These include:

 

• Age. As you get older, changes in your spinal curve may cause disk herniation and bone spurs
   

• Diabetes. Diabetes interferes with how the body uses the sugar in the blood, increasing the chances of nerve damage
   

• Being overweight. Obesity adds stress and strain to the spine
   

• Sedentary lifestyle. Too much sitting or lying down without moving around can trigger sciatica
   

• Profession. Work that entails twisting or turning your back, driving for extended periods, or carrying weighty loads can trigger sciatica pain

Diagnosing Sciatica Pain

A physical checkup is the best way to identify sciatica pain.

Your doctor may examine your muscle reflexes and posture when walking on your heels or toes to diagnose your pain. The doctor may also check how you stand up from a squat or raise your legs when lying on your back one at a time. Sciatica pain typically worsens when doing these exercises.

If your pain is severe and does not resolve within a couple of weeks, you may need an X-ray, CT scan, MRI, or electromyography (EMG) test. The test may reveal nerve root injuries, pinched nerves, herniated disks, or bone spurs affecting your sciatic nerve.

Treating Sciatica Pain

Mild pain can improve with self-care treatments like placing warm compresses or ice packs on your lower back. Ice packs should not touch your skin directly. Wrap them in a towel or cloth.

If the pain does not improve, your doctor will prescribe suitable pain and anti-inflammatory medications. In some cases, steroid injections into the area around the affected nerve can help alleviate pain. Usually, one injection helps minimize the pain. But your doctor can give you up to three injections in one year based on your treatment plan.

Chiropractic care offers some of the safest and simplest treatments for sciatica pain relief. Meet with a licensed chiropractor to get a proper diagnosis. Their personalized treatment plan will likely use several different options. These include ice or cold therapy, ultrasound, electrotherapy, and spinal manipulation. Talk with your chiropractor at M Powered Chiropractic to learn more about these options.  

Your doctor may recommend surgery if the sciatica pain is causing severe symptoms that do not resolve with other treatments. Surgeons can fix the herniated disk or bone spurs causing nerve pain.

For more on identifying and treating sciatica pain, visit M Powered Chiropractic at our office in Georgetown, Texas. Call (512) 548-4355 to book an appointment today.