Sciatica and Lower Back Pain

Sciatica Lower Back Pain this is a term often used and that most people have experienced at one time or another. Sciatica is the term given to pain that starts in the lower back and buttock area and refers down the back of your leg. The pain could be due to compression of or injury to the sciatic nerve in the buttock area. It is usually felt as quite a sharp and shooting kind of pain that can be localized in the buttock area or spread down your leg to your knee or foot. Lower back pain is a common reason to see your chiropractor and is one of many pain issues dealt with in the practice. Whether you’re a pregnant mum to be, or noticed that you’re developing pain in your lower back, book an appointment with a professional chiro and let us work on the problem.

What is lower back pain?

Lower back pain is common in patients from all walks of life and can happen as a sudden onset or occur as a result of something else. Sometimes repetitive movements can cause strain. For example, overstretching, lifting heavy objects and bad posture.

Things that could compress, injure or irritate the sciatic nerve and cause sciatica could be:

1. Tight piriformis muscles: The sciatic nerve runs through a muscle called the piriformis muscle. This muscle is v-shaped to allow passage of the sciatic nerve. If this muscle is contracted and in spasm it could cause the sciatic nerve to be compressed, causing the sciatic pain.
2. Sitting on your wallet: Men are usually guilty of this. Sitting on your wallet not only causes your pelvis to be in an awkward position, but it also compresses the sciatic nerve directly. This could also result in a leg length discrepancy, where one leg becomes functionally shorter than the other.
3. Spinal degeneration: Things like a disc protrusion/herniation or osteophyte formation could cause compression or irritation to the spinal nerves that make up the sciatic nerve. This will then not only cause the pain in you buttock and leg, but could also cause other neurological symptoms such as weakness, numbness or pins and needles.

Some causes of lower back pain include:

• Pregnancy in women
• An injury
• Poor posture
• No lumbar support when seated for long at a computer
• Damage to intervertebral discs
• Nerve compression
• Deformity
• Trauma
• Herniated disc

If you suffer from sciatica or sciatic pain, there are chiropractic treatment options available to give you the relief you want. These treatment options are surgery-free and involve spinal manipulation, myofascial release, dry needling and stretching. If your pain is due to anatomical causes, chiropractic will only be able to provide symptomatic relief, depending on the severity of your disc protrusion/herniation. With osteophyte formation, surgery could be an option to remove the pain causing osteophytes.

Common symptoms of lower back pain include but are not limited to:

1. A dull aching pain
2. Pain that radiates down the buttocks and legs
3. Increased pain when sitting for too long
4. A relief of pain when changing position
5. Pain seems worse in the lower back after having slept and woken up

How does a chiropractor help with Lower Back Pain?

A doctor of chiropractic has many years studying and learning more and more about how to help patients cope with lower back pain and improve their lives. Chiropractic treatment includes spinal manipulation, as well as manual manipulation. Mobilisation also allows specific stretches to help with range and increase flexibility. Chiropractic is safe during pregnancy and doesn’t require OTC drugs or chemicals to enhance its benefits. It is beneficial for babies and older patients. If you need more information or would like to book an appointment speak to a chiropractor in Centurion. Your chiro will work out a chiropractic treatment plan to suit your needs.

Lower back pain can be tricky, and sometimes unnoticeable. It can occur slowly or gradually with time. Some patients find that the pain worsens with time and sometimes seems reoccurring.

Give us a call today to get relief from your sciatica. Find us on Facebook Dr Vicki Ferreira Chiropractor

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