Headaches & Nerve Pain
Sciatica
Pain travelling from the low back or buttock down the leg.
Also called: Leg pain from the back, Sciatic nerve pain.
Sciatica is a description of a pattern of symptoms, not a diagnosis on its own. It refers to pain, tingling, or numbness that travels along the path of the sciatic nerve, usually from the low back or buttock down the back of the thigh and sometimes into the calf or foot.
Several different things can irritate the sciatic nerve or the nerve roots that form it, including disc-related changes, joint irritation, or a tight muscle deep in the buttock pressing on the nerve. What varies between people is where along that path the irritation is coming from, and that is what the examination is trying to identify.
Why this matters
Sitting, driving, and bending forward are commonly affected, and for many people the leg symptoms feel more disruptive than the back pain itself. Sleep can also be interrupted if lying in certain positions increases pressure on the nerve.
How long the symptoms have been present, whether they are improving or worsening, and whether strength or sensation in the leg has changed all shape what a reasonable next step looks like, including whether further imaging or referral is warranted.
The brain & nervous-system connection
Where the nervous system fits in
The sciatic nerve carries both sensory information back to the spinal cord and motor commands out to the leg muscles, so how it is functioning tells us something about the nervous system pathway, not just the site of irritation.
Reflex testing, sensation testing, and strength testing are used together because each reflects a different part of that pathway. This is an evaluation of how the nervous system is currently transmitting signal along that route, not a treatment of the nerve itself.
What we look at
We look for patterns, not a single test
- Detailed health history and consultation
- NeuroInfiniti Stress Response Evaluation
- Posture and movement
- Balance and coordination testing
- Eye movement or neurological screening when appropriate
- Grip or motor-function testing when appropriate
- Palpation and spinal function
- Other examination procedures based on the individual
Not every person receives every test. What we perform depends on your history, your age and what the examination shows as we go.
Scope of care
What this does — and doesn't — mean
What we do
- • We evaluate chiropractic and musculoskeletal function.
- • We look at nervous-system-related functional findings that fall within our scope.
- • We assess movement, balance and coordination findings.
- • We measure stress-response patterns with the NeuroInfiniti evaluation.
- • We make individualized chiropractic care recommendations and re-measure over time.
What we don't claim
- • We do not diagnose, treat or cure diseases.
- • Chiropractic care is not a treatment for dementia, Alzheimer's disease or other neurological diseases.
- • Chiropractic care is not a replacement for medical care, testing or medication.
- • No outcome is promised. Results vary from person to person.
This is a concern where medical evaluation, imaging or co-management may be the right first step. Dr. Mike Geran will say so plainly if that is what the history and examination suggest.
Common questions
- Will I be adjusted on the first visit?
- Generally no. The first visit is an evaluation visit. Dr. Geran reviews the findings and makes recommendations at the follow-up visit.
- Do I need imaging before I come in?
- Not usually. If your history or examination suggests imaging is needed, we will say so and help arrange the right next step.
When medical evaluation may be needed
Some symptoms need medical evaluation first. If anything in your history or examination suggests that, we will say so and help point you in the right direction.
- Progressive weakness in the leg or foot
- Loss of bowel or bladder control
- Numbness in the saddle region
- Symptoms in both legs
Related at Foothills Chiropractic
- Low Back Pain & Sciatica — Low back pain is common, but the place that hurts is not always where the problem is being driven from.
- Back Pain — One of the most common reasons people look for a chiropractor — and rarely as simple as one sore muscle.
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome — Hand numbness and tingling associated with the median nerve at the wrist.
- Cervical Radiculopathy — Arm symptoms that follow a nerve root pattern from the neck.
Think Foothills Chiropractic might be right for you?
Start Here walks you through what the process looks like, so you can decide whether taking the next step makes sense for you.