Sciatica is a painful condition. It occurs when the sciatic nerve gets pinched in the low back or pelvis. It leads to a sharp nerve pain that travels down the back of the leg.
There are 3 main areas that, when irritated, cause Sciatica;
- If the lumbar discs begin to bulge they pinch the nerve roots that form the Sciatic nerve.
- If the pelvis is not aligned the prirformis muscle can spasm up and pinch the Sciatic nerve.
- If the sacro-iliac joint in your pelvis becomes inflamed it can irritate the Sciatic nerve.
Each of the above 3 mentioned problems can be avoided if your spine and muscles are healthy. A lot of things need to go wrong before you get Sciatica.For the piriformis spasm that leads to Sciatica pain there is a very simple trick you can try at home to help ease the pain. You will need a foam roller (or a water bottle wrapped in a towel) and to watch the above video that runs through how to stretch out the piriformis.
If you do not get any relief with that method it means the Sciatica pain is due to either bad discs in the lumbar spine or inflamed pelvic joints, both of which can be helped with our Chiropractic approach that works on both joints and muscles.
If it turns out your lumbar discs are to blame you may need to consider getting your posture fixed to take pressure of your low back. Click here to learn more about improving posture.
Cool links for sciatica;
