If you are experiencing a shooting pain from your lower back through your hips and buttocks and down one of your legs, there is good news and bad news. The bad news is there is a chance you are experiencing sciatica, but the good news is you don't need to live with the pain. Though, it is important not to ignore this problem because sciatica may be symptomatic of another problem.
Your body is putting pressure on the sciatic nerve that it is not meant to sustain, but specific chiropractic adjustments can put the body back in alignment. Your sciatic nerve controls various muscles in your back, knees, and lower legs. That means if sciatica is not properly treated it can lead to adverse physical effects such as numbness, tingling, muscle atrophy and even foot drop.
At first, you may only notice a dull pain, but sciatica may also manifest itself as a mild tingling or a burning sensation. The pain typically only occurs on one side of the body, often starts slowly, and can occur at various times. But that pain, if left untreated, can lead to more pressure, more pain, and more problems.
If you feel pain starting from the lower spine that runs down through your leg, chances are you are experiencing Sciatica. It is important that you receive a proper chiropractic evaluation. If it is Sciatica, there are some things you can do before your evaluation.
An upper cervical chiropractor can thoroughly evaluate the alignment of your head neck and spine to determine if postural problems may be leading to your sciatica. This is a very common cause of sciatic pain and if addressed properly can frequently reduce pain quickly while getting to the underlying cause.
References:
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/sciatica/basics/definition/con-20026478
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001706/
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/