WHAT IS SCIATICA?

Sciatica is lower back pain that extends into the lower leg(s). It can feel dull, sharp or even like pins and needles. It may vary from a constant pain or occur occasionally. Sciatic pain is most often due to compression of the sciatic nerve. Sciatic pain may be caused by:

• Nerve entrapment in the lumbar spine
• Disc herniation
• Piriformis syndrome – sciatic nerve compression by the piriformis muscle (usually due to misalignment of the sacrum or pelvis)
• Spinal stenosis (narrowing of the spinal canal)

Your sciatic nerve is an “information highway”, carrying messages from the brain to the buttocks and to each leg. The nerve roots of the lower part of your spinal cord (L4-S3)  join together to form the largest nerve-the sciatic nerve, which is about the size of two fingers together. The sciatic nerve allows you to walk and feel sensations in your lower body. If the sciatic nerve has pressure on it for a long period of time, it can lead to continued leg weakness, loss of bowel and/or bladder function, difficulty breathing, anxiety, and even panic attack symptoms.

‘Sciatica’ is a description of the group of symptoms that occur when the sciatic nerve is compressed. Experts estimate that most cases of sciatica occur between the ages of 25 to 45, and that approximately 15-40% of the population will experience sciatica during their lives.

CHIROPRACTIC CARE AND SCIATICA

The good news is that our gentle chiropractic care can take pressure off the sciatic nerve, often leading to restored function. Approximately 90% of sciatica cases will resolve over a three to six month period with chiropractic care. Chiropractors are considered primary health care practitioners, meaning that you don’t need a referral from your MD to make an appointment.

Dr. Gerowitz has years of experience in providing effective, drug- and surgery-free chiropractic care for their patients. They work with the Nervous System to remove pressure on the spinal cord and the nerves that travel to every cell, tissue, organ and organ system of the body! Patients consistently report feeling more energy, greater ease in their body, deeper breathing and improved sleep with chiropractic care.