Sciatica Specialist

What is sciatica?

Sciatica describes pain that usually starts in your low back or buttocks and radiates down the back of your legs. It can even extend into your feet and toes. The pain may be sharp, achy, nagging, tingly, burning, or numbing. 

This pain results when the sciatic nerve, which is located in the lower back and runs down the back of each of your legs, is pinched or compressed. 

Sciatica isn’t a diagnosis in itself; it’s a symptom of a larger issue. Causes of sciatica include:

• Car accident or sports injury
• Subluxations in the lumbar spine 
• Disc herniation
• Muscle tightness

Usually, you feel sciatica only on one side of your body. 

When should I suspect sciatica?

The symptoms associated with sciatica include:

• Dull, nagging, tingling, or numbing pain in one side of your buttock or leg (rarely in both legs simultaneously)
• Numbness or pain spreading through your upper leg and sometimes into your foot and toes
• Sharp, shooting pain, particularly when standing up from a seated position or changing the position of the body
• Pain that intensifies when sitting
• Weakness in the affected leg
• Pins-and-needles sensation in the leg and lower back

These symptoms can interfere with daily activity and, in severe cases, even make it hard to walk. Chiropractic care at Active Health Center offers relief.

How is sciatica treated?

Dr. Curcuru does a thorough evaluation to determine the cause of sciatic pain. Once he’s determined the source of your sciatic nerve compression, he uses chiropractic adjustments and manipulations to ease your pain. The adjustments can reduce pressure on the sciatic nerve so the tingling and burning pain go away, and he restores function. 

You may also benefit from adjunct therapies like massage, acupuncture, and therapeutic exercises to relieve muscle tightness and enhance circulation. Depending on the severity of your sciatica and how it responds to initial treatment, you may also benefit from injections to reduce inflammation and Iovera® cold therapy to block nerve pain signals. 

Noninvasive spinal decompression can also help take pressure off of discs and thus your sciatic nerve, providing you with pain relief.

How long does it take to recover from sciatica?

How long it takes you to heal depends on the cause of your sciatica and the severity of your condition. You may require several visits to find relief. Rest assured, though, that once the compression of the sciatic nerve is alleviated, your body heals naturally. 

If you’re suffering sciatic pain, contact Active Health Center for treatment. Make your appointment by phone or use the online tool to schedule.