Symptoms of Sciatica

Sciatica is different from common back pain. With this condition, you might feel pain or uncomfortable nerve sensations that run from your lower back and down one leg, reaching into your calf or foot. Nerve sensations can include numbness, tingling, burning, and muscle weakness. The source of sciatica is nerve compression affecting the sciatic nerve. The key to effective sciatica treatment is to start with an examination. If you are dealing with sciatica, our team at Back on Track Chiropractic and Wellness Center can help you find relief.

What Is Sciatica

Sciatica occurs when the sciatic nerve is pinched or irritated. This causes shooting pains from the buttocks down the leg. A spinal misalignment can lead to sciatica. This happens when the structures in the hip and lower back compress the sciatic nerve, which leads to irritation and inflammation. Chiropractic adjustments work to properly align the spine by removing compression from the sciatic nerve. In some cases, sciatica is caused by a herniated or slipped disk or narrowing of the spine. Typically, sciatica symptoms will only impact one side of the body.

Sciatica Symptoms 

A common symptom of sciatica is a pain in the sciatic nerve that runs down the lower back, hips, and buttocks. This can cause pain in the legs and feet too. The intensity of the pain varies with the patient. Numbness in the leg is another symptom that you may feel. This is caused by bone spurs and discs pressing on the sciatica nerve. Another symptom is tingling in the feet. This is similar to when your arm or leg falls asleep.

Swelling and inflammation are also common symptoms of sciatica. Weak muscles are a symptom. If you are experiencing difficultly traversing staircases or walking, this may be due to sciatica. Other symptoms are lower back pain, problems with moving the legs, pain standing up or sitting down, a burning sensation, and discomfort on one side of the buttocks. We take referrals from primary care physicians and design customized treatment programs for each patient.

Contact Our Team for Help in Birmingham

Our team at Back on Track Chiropractic & Wellness Center in Birmingham is ready to help you manage your sciatica. Offering a combination of chiropractic adjustments and massage therapy, our clinic will create a customized plan that works best for you. Give us a call at 205-623-5782 to schedule your first appointment. We serve the Birmingham, Hoover, Mountain Brook, Homewood, and Vestavia Hills areas.