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11 Tue

What is Sciatica?

Do you have sciatica?

Written by: Paul Kochoa, PT, DPT, OCS, CKTP, CGFI

 

If you’ve ever had back pain or been to the doctor, you’ve probably come across the term “sciatica”.  You may think that it’s a pinched nerve.  Pain that starts in the hip or back of the leg and extends down the leg may be sciatica, or it may be due to another problem.  Just the other day, a patient came in to see me after seeing a doctor who mentioned the word “sciatica” to her, and she believed she had it.  But after a physical examination, it turned out it wasn’t sciatica at all, but just a muscle strain.  What’s the difference?

Sometimes, pain that’s just in the legs and not in the back may be sciatica.  Sciatica is a term that commonly refers to any problem that causes irritation to the sciatic nerve that runs down the back of the leg.  It’s a symptom, but doesn’t indicate the root cause of the problem.  It has come to be used as a catch-all term that encompasses many different problems.

Whenever someone has pain traveling down the leg, you have to find out what’s causing it, get to the root cause.  It can even be confused with hamstring strains, hip pain, ankle sprain, calf cramp, and heel pain.  Generally when a nerve is pinched or irritated by another structure in the body, it elicits pain in a certain pattern, called a dermatone, down the leg.  For example, irritation of the nerves coming out between the 4th and 5th lumbar levels causes pain in the inside of the calf down to the inside of the foot.

Irritation, or pinching of the nerve can be due to tight muscles pressing on the nerve somewhere in the hip, bony changes in the spine causing pinching and compression in the back, or a disc problem causing impingement of the nerve at the spine as well.  Whatever the cause, symptoms may be similar, but treatment protocols are different.

Symptoms of sciatica can include: burning, numbness, tingling, feelings of pressure, dull aches, but it can also feel like sharp, stabbing, pain that feels like electricity going down the leg.  Severe nerve involvement can also cause the leg to give way and muscular weakness in the areas involved.

If you think you have sciatica, seek medical attention from your local physiotherapist. Get a physical exam and get down to the root of the problem.  If you would like more information, please call Professional Physical Therapy and Training at 973-270-7417. Our offices are located within the YMCA locations in Madison and Summit, NJ.  You do not need to be a member of the YMCA to visit with us.

Image courtesy of renjith krishnan / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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