A Pain in the Butt! Sciatica

What is Sciatica?

Sciatica is a symptom rather than a disease. It involves irritation and inflammation of the sciatic nerve. The pain caused by sciatica can vary between an intermittent annoying dull ache to extreme pain in the entire leg. It is a difficult condition to treat but when it is really bad patients often seek out a surgical intervention.

It a common condition. May come and go. Just because you experienced sciatica once, does not necessarily mean the symptoms will return.

The Symptoms

• Sciatica can vary in pain - a slight tingling sensation, to a deep dull toothache-like pain affecting the entire leg and foot.
• Acute sciatica can become relentless and severe enough to cause limping.
• The pain is generally located on the back, AND TO THE SIDE of one leg.
• It often is painful in the buttocks.
• Mild sciatica may skip areas. For an example you may only feel it behind the knee or in the foot.
• Other times your only symptom may be a numbness in your foot.
• Some people even experience an electric shock-like feeling shooting down the leg!
• Most sciatica is one-sided, affecting only one leg.
• Mild showings of a Buffalo Hump due to poor posture throughout the years.

Medication, regardless of the type or dosage, does not always relieve the pain.

Typically sciatica is insidious, meaning it comes on gradually, no specific 'event' caused it to occur.

The Causes of Sciatica

Injuries - Not Necessarily Traumatic

Sciatic pain following a slip-and-fall is understandable. The impact of your butt hitting the ground throws off your back. A few days later you notice sciatica.

But, not all spinal injuries are trauma related. Possibly you lifted heavier than usual at the gym or work. Maybe spring cleanup pushed your back a bit too far. Now you look a bit crooked, no big deal, it will go away. Right?

Unless you are very crooked you may not even notice how far out of alignment your spine really is. This is a perfect set up for sciatica. That crooked spine could also lead to a knot between shoulder blades.

Thinning Lumbar Discs

Most of the time discs thin slowly over years. Poor postural habits accelerate wear and tear to the discs in the spine. Under an unequal load (being crooked), the discs begin to erode, they become thinner.

Thin discs decrease the area where the sciatic nerve exits, between two vertebra. This scenario is called degenerative disc disease and is common.

When the discs are thin a wrong unguarded movement cant tap the sciatic nerve. Then sciatica begins.

Disc Herniations

Herniations occur when the end plates of the vertebra become weak and a small crack in the bone occurs. A lumbar disc is always under load (unless you are laying down) and part of the disc begins to move into the area of weakness in the bone.

Disc bulges can also cause sciatica. That is when the outer layer of the disc get weak and begin to bulge out between the two vertebra. Sometimes even a piece of the disc may break off and start floating around the area.

If the disc, or part of the disc, comes into contact with the sciatic nerve, sciatica occurs.

Only one-third of disc herniations are symptomatic and are usually found as a secondary condition to something else.

Piriformis Syndrome

The piriformis is a small muscle deep in the butt, it lays on top of the sciatic nerve. The piriformis muscle is responsible for internal and external rotation of the hip but also helps to keep the sciatic nerve in its correct place, deep within the butt.

Piriformis Syndrome can be the result of overuse such as walking or running too far. It can also be caused by doing to many leg presses or squats.

Conversely, If the butt muscles are weak, a sudden movement can cause the piriformis to grab and stay tensed putting pressure on the sciatic nerve.  

Anterior Pelvic Tilt

 (the one on the right shows an anterior pelvic tilt)

An anterior pelvis occurs when there is too much curve in the small of the back. The excessive curve brings the joints in the lumbar spine closer together, closing down the room needed for nerves exiting the spine.

Often, anterior pelvic tilt is the result of excessively tight hip flexors, particularly the psoas muscle.

Pregnancy

The rapid "front-end load” during pregnancy requires Mom to lean back for balance. This brings the lumbar vertebra closer to each other. Pregnancy causes both loose joints as well as muscle cramps and frequent sciatic pain. This is generally temporary and sciatica recedes after giving birth.

Tips To Help With Sciatica

• When sitting, keep the knee of the affected leg higher than your hip. This puts the lumbar spine in a slightly rounded position taking the pressure off the sciatic nerve. Put something under your foot on that side which raises the knee.
• When laying on your back, hanging out on the sofa, put a cushion under your knees.
• If you are a side sleeper, put a pillow between your knees to keep your hips aligned.
• When driving, bring your seat a bit closer to the wheel and move the seat back farther back creating a 'bucket seat'. This helps to bring the knees up higher than the hips.
• Ice your buttocks.
• Using a proper back posture corrector. Or For females, using specifically a posture corrector for women

A Couple of Stretches - Do Frequently

When To Check With Your Doctor

• If you experience “electric shocks” shooting down your leg.
• If you feel sciatica on both sides.
• If you have persistent numbness in your foot, especially if it affects your gait.
• If your sciatica continues to get worse.
• If you notice changes in your bowel or bladder function.

MOST SCIATICA IS CAUSED BY MISALIGNMENT IN YOUR SPINE. 

A strong, flexible spine is the first step in preventing and assist in healing sciatica. PurePosture can help. It is a one-of -a-kind device to align the spine, increase flexibility and help solve neck and back pain. It is easy to use, fast and safe. Most important, it is effective. Check it out.