Sciatica

Sciatica is the term used to describe irritation of the sciatic nerve. However, to treat sciatica a more suitable and thorough diagnosis needs to be made. There is not one but many different causes of ‘sciatica‘, so to determine what would be the best course of treatment for your ‘sciatica’ we must first establish what the actual underlying problem is. The sciatic nerve can be irritated because of a prolapsed disc, a degenerative disc, a pelvic joint problem, a lumbar joint problem, arthritic changes to the spine or even just a muscle problem that is a result of a pelvic or lumbar problem to name but a few. A muscle called the piriformis may pull tight if there is a joint problem, in 80% of the population the sciatic nerve emerges from beneath the piriformis muscle and may be pinched as a result. This usually is a much easier cause of sciatica to remove than, for example, a prolapsed disc which is compressing a nerve root that contributes to the sciatic nerve. Indeed in some cases surgery may be required, but this should really be a last resort due to the risks involved. On a lot of occasions disc surgery can be avoided because of the intervention of far less invasive chiropractic approaches.

Please see the What Happens On My First Consultation? page for detailed information of how we would proceed with helping you, or call to discuss making an appointment.