Pain shooting down the leg, numbness or tingling in the leg doesn’t necessarily mean that the cause of the discomfort is located in the leg. The cause of the shooting pain can actually be located further up,  in the spine.

Sciatica.
Sciatica isn’t a condition itself but a symptom stemming from of a bulging or herniated vertebral disc, which may be pressing on or impinging the sciatic  nerve. A List of symptoms on Spine Health lists the following:

“Sciatica is often characterized by the following symptoms:

  • Pain on one side of the buttock or in one leg that is worse when sitting
  • Burning or tingling down the leg
  • Weakness, numbness or difficulty moving the leg or foot
  • A constant pain on one side of the rear
  • A sharp pain that may make it difficult to stand up or to walk”

Pain associated with Sciatica often starts in the low back, and is often due to a herniated disc, or it may originate in the glutes (butt), and can extend as far as your feet, and to the toes. It can be accompanied by numbness, a ‘pins and needles’ sensation known as paresthesias,  or in some  severe cases patients report actual physical weakness affecting the extremities, such as the ankles and toes.

Sciatic pain is referred to as “radiculopathy” in medical terms . The pain often follows the path of a single spinal nerve root such as the Lumbar 5 (L5). This is often the case with sciatica, when it is caused by a herniated disc or bulging disc. If the impinged or irritated nerve is located in the lumbar spine, the sciatica – or leg pain – is often accompanied by back pain.

Sciatica Treatments.Sciatica pain may ease on its own, and most episodes of pain can heal in about six to twelve weeks.
However sciatica, and back pain, when left untreated can increase and over time develop in to a serious problem that requires professional care.

“For others, when the pain is severe or does not get better on its own, a more structured pain management program (including specific physical therapy and exercise), and possibly surgery, may offer the best approach to finding pain relief and preventing or minimizing future flare-ups of sciatica.”     _SpineHealth

Along with techniques like massage therapy, and acupuncture, Chiropractic manipulation helps to provide proper spinal alignment and can help relieve sciatica symptoms.

There are many non-surgical options to treating painful sciatica symptoms.  l Chiropractors, physiatrists (physical medicine and rehabilitation specialists),  and physical therapists, and pain medicine specialists posess  specialized knowledge and training with which to provide pain relief and to help prevent the  recurrence of sciatica. Furthermore a combination of cutting edge techniques and behavior modification, such as the individualized treatment plans offered by Living Well Medical, can help speed up the body’s natural healing process, resulting in faster pain relief.