Sciatica

Sciatica

What is "Sciatica"?

Sciatica is a term that refers to the painful inflammation of the sciatic nerve, the longest and largest nerve in your body. Your sciatic nerve extends from your buttocks all the way down to your toes. Sciatica flare-ups may or may not involve back pain; the pain can be "referred" to other areas. Sciatica sufferers, however, often have a history of low back pain. A full blown sciatica flare-up can involve the entire sciatic nerve path following the back of the thigh, into the calf, and down into the foot. Or it may attack various points along the nerve, such as the buttocks, knee area, and calf.

What causes Sciatica?

Your spine is directly affected by the chemical, physical, and emotional stress of everyday living. The results are often the same -- spinal misalignments, or subluxations. Left uncorrected, subluxations can cause the opening between your vertebrae to narrow and compress, irritating and stretching your nerves. Sciatica can often be traced to one or more misaligned vertebrae. Eventually, damaged nerves can restrict your joint movement, which interferes with the transport of lubrication to your discs. Irreversible damage may occur if the nerve interference is not removed.

Common causes:

Poor Posture

Sudden impact or trauma

Improper lifting

Cumulative spinal stress

Old injury

A fall

Lack of exercise

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