Sciatica

What is sciatica?

A sharp, burning or electric sensation running from the buttock down a leg can be frightening. Sciatica usually refers to symptoms from irritated lumbar nerve roots; irritation of the sciatic nerve around the buttock can produce similar symptoms. Numbness, tingling and weakness can occur.

What causes sciatica?

Lumbar disc herniation, spinal stenosis and other changes affecting nerve roots can cause sciatica. Piriformis syndrome and deep gluteal syndrome can produce sciatica-like pain when the sciatic nerve is irritated in the buttock. Identifying where symptoms originate matters.

How is sciatica treated?

At Alliance Wellness Clinic in Vancouver, treatment is based on your assessment, symptoms and goals. Options include:

Chiropractic Care: Selected mobilization or manipulation, soft tissue techniques and rehabilitation, adapted to neurological findings.

Physiotherapy: Strengthening, movement retraining, nerve mobility exercises when appropriate and targeted hip or gluteal rehabilitation.

Lumbar Flexion-Distraction: Gentle, practitioner-controlled distraction using a specialized manual table for selected disc-related presentations; not a guaranteed way to reverse nerve compression.

Registered Massage Therapy: Addresses associated gluteal and lower-back muscle tension without claiming to remove pressure from a spinal nerve.

Osteopathic Manual Therapy: Hands-on care for associated movement restrictions and muscular discomfort.

Acupuncture: A pain-management option within an individualized treatment plan.

Class 4 Laser Therapy: An optional adjunct for associated musculoskeletal pain; evidence that it resolves lumbar nerve-root compression is limited.

When should you seek treatment?

Seek assessment for radiating leg pain, persistent tingling, numbness or interference with walking and sleep. New bladder or bowel problems, groin numbness or rapidly worsening weakness require emergency assessment.