Sciatica is pain that travels along the sciatic nerve, from the lower back through the buttock and down the back of the leg, usually on one side. Quantum treats it with physical therapy, chiropractic care and acupuncture, all at the same location, and new patients are usually seen the same day.
Sciatica symptoms
- Pain that runs from the lower back or buttock down the back of the thigh and calf
- A dull ache, a sharp burning pain or a jolt like an electric shock
- Pain that gets worse when you sit for a long time, cough or sneeze
- Numbness, tingling or weakness in the leg or foot
When sciatica needs urgent care
Get medical care right away for sudden numbness or weakness in a leg, for trouble controlling your bladder or bowels, or for leg pain that started after a violent injury such as a car crash. Pain that lasts more than a week, is severe or keeps getting worse also needs an evaluation.
What causes sciatica
Most often, a herniated disc or a bone spur in the lower spine presses on the roots of the sciatic nerve. Lifting, a fall, a car accident or years of sitting can set it off. Sciatica is one kind of pinched nerve: the one that sends pain down a leg. When the pain stays in the back, see back pain.
What the evaluation looks for
Expect questions about when the pain started and what sitting, bending or walking do to it. Your provider tests the strength, reflexes and feeling in your legs and feet, and gently raises the straight leg to see whether it brings on the pain. Together these point to where the nerve is being pressed, and they shape your plan.
Sciatica treatment at Quantum
Physical therapy teaches exercises and stretches that take pressure off the nerve and strengthen your core, chiropractic care works on the lower spine and pelvis, and acupuncture can ease the pain along the way. Read about physical therapy for sciatica.
When numbness or weakness need a closer look, EMG and nerve conduction studies show which nerve is affected, and specialists in pain management visit our locations for pain that doesn’t ease.
Paying for sciatica care
If your sciatica began with a car accident, your care is usually billed to No-Fault; if it began at work, to workers’ compensation. Otherwise we accept health insurance, depending on your case, and offer self-pay.
