Your Sciatic nerve, which extends from your lower back down through your legs, is the largest nerve in your body. You have two of them, and each one is connected to your spine by five spinal nerve roots. Sciatica occurs when there is a pressure or irritation against your sciatic nerve or one of its nerve roots.
Sufferers often describe their pain as a burning, searing, or sharp sensation. Though, they may also feel a pressure, numbness, tingling or prickling sensation that radiates down the leg. The pain usually increases when sitting or standing still, it is constant, and it only occurs in the leg with the damaged Sciatic Nerve. Here is a list of the types of pain a person will feel:
While most cases of Sciatica are mild, two signs that it is due to a serious injury are when the person suffering has an inability to control their bowel or bladder, or when there is a progressive weakness or loss of sensation in the leg.
If you suffer from Sciatica, no matter where the pain occurs and regardless of the severity of the pain, you don't need to continue to suffer. We understand the quality of your life has diminished because of your inability to get through a day pain free.
A frequent but underappreciated cause of sciatica begins with your spinal alignment. When accidents and injuries occur to your head, neck or spine the connective tissue that holds this spine in place including muscles, ligaments, tendons etc. are torn leading to a weakness and a breakdown of the normal alignment of the spine. This misalignment pattern frequently begins with a head and neck come together. This is the most vulnerable area of the spinal column. The heavy head resting on a small bone. If misalignment occurs here the entire spinal column will compensate in order to keep the brain and a balanced and level position. One of the most common compensations that develop is in the pelvis. The pelvis will tilt and twist. This tilting and twisting can lead to sciatica, lower back pain and other problems.
Frequently someone suffering from sciatica will use physical therapy, general chiropractic treatments, injections and even surgery to the local area to attempt to address the problem. However if the root cause of the sciatica is beginning in a different area of the spinal column, then regardless of how much localized treatment you have it will never resolve the true cause of the problem. This can lead to frustration, increase expense and unnecessary suffering.
Right now, the best thing you can do to find relief from your pain is to seek out the care of an upper cervical chiropractor. They will examine your upper neck vertebrae and the rest of your spinal column to determine the best course of action.
To find a Doctor in your area go to www.NUCCA.org or if you are in the Redwood City California area to schedule your NUCCA evaluation, click the button below:
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Dr. Pete Tsiglieris of Advanced Spinal Care in Redwood City, California is an Upper Cervical Specialist trained by the National Upper Cervical Chiropractic Association (NUCCA). His upper cervical clinic also serves San Mateo, Palo Alto, Menlo Park, San Carlos, and Sunnyvale. They are uniquely trained to correct problems in the upper cervical spine (upper neck). This vital area is intimately connected to the central nervous system and problems in this area have been shown to be an underlying cause of a variety of different health problems, including migraines and other headaches, carpal tunnel syndrome, neck pain, back pain and shoulder pain and weakness. More information can be found on our website at https://bayareanuccacare.com/