I feel like sciatica is one of those things that you hear a lot, but sometimes it gets a bit lost in translation on what sciatica is...so let's talk about that.
What is Sciatica?
Sciatica refers to pain that radiates along the path of the sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve is formed by 5 different nerve roots in the low back and branches into smaller nerves down the back of the leg into the foot.
What does Sciatica feel like?
Sciatica may feel different to different people, but it is typically either pain, numbness, tingling, tightness, shooting pain, or burning pain in the low back, buttocks, back of the leg, or foot. You may feel one of these symptoms or a combination. The pain may come and go, or it may stay there for a while...this is part of what makes sciatica so frustrating because it can feel so different and change even just in your own experience!
An important thing to note: Sciatica ONLY refers to irritation along the path of the sciatic nerve, so if you have symptoms in other places that are NOT on the path of the sciatic nerve, that means you have irritation to another nerve and it is not sciatica. You do still have nerve irritation because numbness, tingling, tightness, shooting pain, or burning pain is signs of nerve irritation.
What causes sciatica?
Sciatica is typically caused by increased tension or pressure on the nerve that can irritate the nerve and cause pain. Sometimes this is related to muscle tightness, joint stiffness, position changes, or other conditions. Sometimes you notice it more after doing strenuous activities, traveling that requires sustained positioning, or when your less active (maybe even after not feeling well) that doesn't allow the nerve to glide and move as much as it had been.
How do you know if you have sciatica?
Remember, sciatica refers to pain or irritation to the sciatic nerve so what we do to test that is testing how the nerve moves and if it changes your symptoms when you do these movements. One of my favorite "tests" is the Slump Test. If this test brings on your symptoms, this usually means that your sciatic nerve is irritated. See the video below for a quick demonstration.
What is the next step:
If you did the Slump Test and it brought on your symptoms in your sciatic nerve, getting some help with sciatica relief is a good next step! My program, The Sciatica Solution will walk you through what you can do to get sciatica relief at home in 15 minutes or less per day! Click here to learn more about The Sciatica Solution.
If you want more tips like this in video format, check out my free facebook group, Managing Pain with Megan.
If you have any concerns about your pain, how you're moving, or aren't quite sure what the best next step is for you and you'd like to book a consultation with a member of our team, fill out this form and we will get in touch with you!
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