Sciatica

The sciatic nerves are the largest and longest nerves in the body. They exit your lower spine and group together in the pelvis, then split off into two branches, with a branch running down the back of each buttock, leg and into the foot.

When one of these nerves becomes inflamed, the condition is called sciatica. Symptoms include pain radiating from the lower back into the buttock and down the back or outside of the leg. The pain can come on suddenly, like a lightning bold, or it can present itself as a dull, nagging toothache type of pain.

Often times sciatica is caused by a misalignment in the lower spine. If a vertebrae shifts out of place, it can put pressure on the sciatic nerve, which results in irritation and inflammation. The good news is that this type of sciatica can often be successfully treated through a series of painless chiropractic adjustments.


[Source: ChiroCommunity.com]

How you can help your Sciatica

If you suffer from sciatic pain, or pain that radiates down from the buttocks down the back of the leg, the technique that follows may be of some help to you.This can be performed lying down on a firm surface or standing.

Bring your foot out-away from the rest of your body and turn the toes pointing out away from the body. If this maneuver makes the pain better, then your sciatic nerve is being squeezed as it passes through the piriformis muscle.

By performing this maneuver, you are forcing the piriformis muscle to relax somewhat,easing pressure on the sciatic nerve.

Of course, you should probably consult a chiropractor anyway regarding this problem. This maneuver is a temporary solution to a problem that usually only gets worse with time.