Sciatica
Sciatica is pain from an irritated sciatic nerve, usually running from the buttock down the back of one leg, sometimes with numbness, tingling or weakness. It is a symptom, and the cause is most often in the low back. East Mountain Physical Therapy finds that cause and treats it for patients from Cedar Crest, Edgewood, Tijeras and Moriarty.
How sciatica usually shows up
You may notice one or more of these on one side:
- Shooting pain in the leg, from the buttock toward the foot
- Numbness or tingling down the leg
- Weakness when you push off or climb stairs
- Pain that is worse with sitting, coughing or bending forward
Where a pinched nerve in the lower back comes from
Herniated disc
The most common source. Part of a disc presses on a nerve root in the lower back (lumbar radiculopathy).
Spinal stenosis
Narrowing of the space around the nerves, often with age, with leg symptoms that build when you stand or walk.
Piriformis syndrome
A tight muscle deep in the buttock that can irritate the nerve as it passes by.
Spondylolisthesis
A vertebra that slips forward, which can narrow the opening the nerve passes through.
How your therapist tells where it is coming from
In the evaluation, we move your back and legs in specific ways and watch how your symptoms respond. When pain moves out of the leg and back toward the spine as you repeat a movement, that is a good sign the right exercise has been found, and it is the base of your plan.
From there the plan combines directional exercises, hands-on work on the back and buttock, and strength for the muscles that support the spine. For the back itself, see back pain; for the hip as a possible source, see hip pain.
Questions people ask about sciatica
Will I need surgery?
Most cases improve with time and the right exercise, and surgery is considered when nerve symptoms are severe or are not improving. A doctor makes that call; we tell you what we find.
Should I rest?
Short rests help on the worst days, but staying gently active usually recovers faster than long rest.
Is numbness in both feet sciatica?
Not usually. Numbness in both feet more often has another cause, such as peripheral neuropathy, so say so at your visit.
Get medical help right away if
- your foot drops or leg weakness is getting worse
- you lose control of your bladder or bowels
- you have numbness in the groin or inner thighs
Sciatica care in the East Mountains
We see patients from Cedar Crest, Edgewood, Tijeras, Moriarty and the East Mountains.