Sciatica starts in the lower back or the glute and travels down one leg, sometimes as far as the calf or foot. It can show up as a sharp, shooting pain, a dull ache, or numbness and tingling that comes and goes. Most people feel it on one side only.
Where the pain comes from
The sciatic nerve runs from your lower spine, through your hips, and down each leg. When something presses on that nerve or irritates it near the spine, you feel it anywhere along its path, far from where the irritation begins.
A few things commonly cause that pressure:
- A disc in your lower spine bulges and presses on a nerve root.
- The piriformis muscle, deep in the glute, tightens and compresses the nerve as it passes through.
- A joint in your lower spine loses normal movement, which irritates the surrounding nerves.
Sitting for long stretches makes most of these worse, which is why sciatica often flares after a long drive or a day at a desk.
How we find the source
A leg that hurts doesn’t always mean the problem lives in the leg. During your assessment, we test your movement, reflexes, and strength to find where the irritation is coming from. That determines the treatment, not where you feel pain today.
How chiropractic care may help
Once we know the source, care usually combines a few things: adjustments aimed at restoring movement to the joints that have lost it, soft tissue work to help release tight muscles like the piriformis, and specific exercises you do between visits. Response to care varies from person to person. Some notice a change within the first few sessions, while cases that have been building for months may take longer to settle.
When to come in sooner rather than later
Get it checked without waiting if the pain started suddenly after a specific movement, if numbness is spreading, or if you notice weakness in your leg or foot. Those are signs worth acting on quickly.
Book an assessment
If sciatica has been slowing you down, our team at Rise Chiropractic & Wellness may be able to help. We see patients at both our Albion and Chapel Hill clinics.
