What causes Sciatica

First, we should define sciatica; it is inflammation involving the neurological distribution of the sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve is composed of nerve roots exiting the spinal cord from levels L4-S3 meaning the fourth lumbar vertebrae all the way to the third segment of the sacrum. To sum it up, this is a big nerve; when dissecting human cadavers at chiropractic school it was no tough task to identify the sciatic nerve as it was nearly as big around as one of your fingers.

Anatomically the sciatic nerve divides multiple times as it descends down the leg distributing nerve signals throughout different tissues. This is why folks with sciatica may also describe pain referring into their legs and or feet. Most commonly sciatica is caused by an intervertebral disc bulging into a spinal nerve. Depending on which spinal nerve is affected along the L4-S3 route, will determine what type of symptoms you experience.

Typically we can effectively treat symptoms of Sciatica relatively quickly. The challenge is to sustain pain relief rather than temporarily reduce it. Through consistent exercise and other lifestyle modifications, this annoying and aggravating condition can be successfully managed.

If you or someone you know battles sciatica and would be interested in taking a new approach to combat their pain, please share this article with them. Thanks for reading.