What is sciatica?

 40% of people will suffer with sciatica in their lifetime, but how can you avoid being one of them?

Sciatica is a term many people are familiar with as up to 40% of people will experience it in their lifetime. According to the National Institute for Health and Excellence.

What exactly is sciatica, what causes it and how can you prevent becoming one of them?

Sciatica is a name given to pain associated with irritation of the sciatic nerve, which is a large bundle of nerves that travels from your lower back and sacrum down the back of your leg.

Sciatica has a collection of symptoms that differ depending on your individual presentation.

Sciatica symptoms

Typically, the pain associated with Sciatica is a sharp shooting or burning pain that travels down one leg anywhere from your buttock to your foot, it is commonly combined with other symptoms such as:

 Lower back pain

 Pins and needles and numbness

 Muscle weakness

Is Piriformis syndrome the same as Sciatica?

Piriformis syndrome is a condition that may cause sciatica. Sciatica is due to compression by a herniated disc causing lumbar radiculopathy. Piriformis syndrome is a condition that causes sciatica nerve symptoms due to compression of the sciatic nerve around the buttock and the hip.

When Sciatica is an emergency?

In rare cases Sciatica can be a sign of something worse, if you experience any of the following symptoms it is important to go to the nearest hospital or call 911:

 You have sciatica in both legs

 You have a weakness or numbness in both legs that is severe and getting worse

 You have any numbness in or around your genitals and anus

 Your bowel or bladder habits are difficult to control, have increased in urgency or feel (and this is not normal for you)

What causes sciatica?

Sciatica is caused by a compression to the sciatic nerve somewhere along its pathway from the lumbar spine to the leg.

A chiropractor or medical professional can help you identify the cause of your sciatica.

According to National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) about 90% of cases come from a herniated disc (“slipped disk”) in your lower lumbar spine.

However, soft tissue, and other joint injuries can also create inflammation around the nerve along its pathway, irritating the nerve.

Who’s at risk?

Sciatica can affect anyone of any age group, but peak presentation is in the 5th decade; other risk factors are strenuous high activity lifestyle, for example:

 Frequent bending, heavy lifting or twisting

 Jogging/running and impact activities

 Whole body vibrations. Like operating machinery or long periods of driving.

Sedentary lifestyles can also contribute to developing back problems and associated symptoms as well as general health, obesity and smoking.

What can you do to relieve sciatic pain?

Sciatica can be self-resolving in 4-6 weeks but this is often aided by lots of painkillers to moderate the pain. Patients usually don’t want to rely on painkillers and want to find an alternative, or more natural ways to get better.

Symptoms vary from patient to patient, so Chiropractic treatment is designed for the individual's unique history and current symptoms. However, the overall goals of treatment are to lessen nerve irritation symptoms by correcting spinal misalignments, improve the health with home care exercises/stretches, and advise any lifestyle changes to enhance the healing process.

Tips to try:

 Regular Chiropractic care to keeps our bodies in motion.

 Our body’s like to move, try to stay active and avoid long periods of rest as this has been shown to increase pain.

 Carry on with your normal activities as much as possible.

 Gentle exercises and stretches of your legs and back advised accordingly by your Chiropractor, start gradually and stop if you feel increased pain.

 Massaging out tight muscles can also help take pressure off and reduce pain.

We can help

If you are concerned about your back or sciatic pain, and would like an expert opinion, please contact Family First Chiropractic (403) 347-3261, www.family1stchiro.ca

Dr .Elton Clemence

Family First Chiropractic

What can you do to help with Sciatic pain?

                Massage will certainly help decrease nerve pain by stimulating the muscles by having the glutes worked on and the posterior leg. With increased circulation it will temporarily help your first visit  but going regularly it has long term beneficial effects especially for those who plan to do lots of driving or has a stressful work situation that is mentally and physically draining. Following after massage a hot bath with epsom salts is great. Having two cups added to your water will have the magnesium absorbed into your skin to help soaking for 10 to 20 min is ideal.

                Compression with hot and cold is another way to help ease sciatic pain. The heat relaxes the muscles and the cold will help decrease the inflammation down, and numb the pain. Making sure not to have the cold on for more than 20 min several times a day.

                With gentle exercises and stretching techniques It will help lower the chances of requiring injury and inflammation following. Keeping the core strong and stretching of the posterior leg muscles such as hamstring will also help. Yoga is another option to help with strengthening the muscles and helping corresponding areas that will ease sciatic pain.

                Simply laying on back keeping one leg to the ground, having one knee come towards your chest grasping below the knee as you hold to chest and lifting that leg as you take your hands and hold leg to upright position towards the ceiling and hold for 30 seconds, releasing leg and doing the opposite leg will help. Chair yoga is another best option especially for the elderly or to be in seated position on chair and extend leg to stretch the hamstring muscles and alternating sides is a excellent way to ease sciatic and a good tool to prevent from happening.

                These are tools to use in the comfort of your home and then applying to your regime at home will keep you feeling balanced and restored, following with massage and the use of a little bit of peppermint oil with moist hot towel to infuse will be such an award after coming in and being cared for to melt off any emotional stress that you may be holding.


Massage available at Family First Chiropractic, 142 Erickson Drive, Red Deer, Alberta. 403-347-3261. www.family1stchiro.ca

Do you have Sciatica? How we can help.

Sciatica refers to pain that radiates along the path of the sciatic nerve, which branches from your lower back through your hips and buttocks and down each leg. Typically, sciatica affects only one side of your body. Sciatica most commonly occurs when a herniated disk, bone spur on the spine or narrowing of the spine (spinal stenosis) compresses part of the nerve.

Chiropractors are well educated to effectively treat sciatica. Patients describe the pain as dull, achy, sharp, toothache-like, pins and needles, shooting pains or electric shocks. Other symptoms associated with sciatica include burning, numbness and tingling sensations sometimes at night while sleeping.

Sciatica is caused by sciatic nerve compression or impingement. Health changes that can cause sciatic nerve pain include pregnancy and childbirth with the center of gravity biomechanical changes, lumbar spine subluxations, herniated or irritated discs, tumors, constipation and common cause of sciatica is piriformis syndrome. Piriformis syndrome is named after the piriformis muscle, this can refer pain into the low back are and mimic disc injury pain. The piriformis muscle is located in the lower part of the spine and sacrum and assists in hip rotation. The sciatic nerve runs most often beneath the piriformis muscle, it can however run over it or through the piriformis in some individuals. Injuries such as slips and falls can cause cramping and spasm to develop in the piriformis muscle, thereby pinching the sciatic nerve and causing inflammation and sciatic pain.

Chiropractors can fully assess and diagnose sciatica a piriformis syndrome, Since there are many disorders that cause sciatica, the chiropractor's first step is to do diagnostic testing which may include an x-ray, MRI, CT scan and other testing may be done.  

 A chiropractic sciatica treatment plan may include several different treatments including chiropractic adjustments, stretches, strengthening, ART, heat or ice therapy, supplementation of omega 3’s, B complex and magnesium. Some chiropractors may recommend a TENS unit (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation) to reduce the pain with out medications.

For more information call our office at 403-347-3261 and speak with Dr. Joelle Johnson at Family First Chiropractic and Wellness. 142 Erickson Drive, Red Deer, T4R2C3 www.family1stchiro.ca

Do you have Restless Leg Syndrome?

 Restless Leg Syndrome- RLS affects over 12 million people causing a strong urge to move ones legs especially at night. RLS is a neurological complaint causing a decrease of nerve impulse to the affected limb- most often the legs. This uncomfortable syndrome causes many people a lot of discomfort. A large portion of pregnant population suffers from this uncomfortable issue. RLS prevents you from getting adequate rest and good nights sleep. Sleep deprivation can cause weakening of the weakening of the immune system, mood swings, psychological effects and depression.

Symptoms of RLS 

·        Strange itching, tingling, or "crawling" sensations occurring deep within the legs; these sensations may also occur in the arms.

·        A compelling urge to move the limbs to relieve these sensations

·        Restlessness -- floor pacing, tossing and turning in bed, rubbing the legs

Many patients, pregnant and non-pregnant find relief from specific experienced chiropractic adjustments, especially when adjusting the pregnant spine. These adjustments remove any pressure, impingement or irritation to the affected nerves in the legs/limbs. A complete history, examination and assessment will rule out any other underlying issues that may cause RLS.

Home help: Stretching, Epsom salt baths, heat application, limb massage

Supplements: Folic acid, Magnesium, B12, B complex, homeopathies

Dr. Joelle Johnson has practiced in Central Alberta for over 17years in prenatal and pediatric chiropractic at Family First Chiropractic and Wellness, 142 Erickson Drive, Red Deer T4R 2C3 www.family1stchiro.ca 403-347-3261 

Sciatic is a pain in the ......

Muscular Sciatica

Muscular Sciatica is often overlooked as the cause of mysterious back pain and leg pain.

Muscular sciatica is a result of a deep muscle spasm in the buttocks. This impinges the sciatic nerve near the hip, causing pain and weakness.

Sciatica Treatment
Early intervention based on awareness of the early symptoms of sciatica may avert debilitating pain. Taking immediate and appropriate action can alleviate pain episodes and prevent the condition from worsening

An ideal way to address early symptoms of sciatica is through use of therapeutic massage. Massage therapy helps remove waste materials from muscles. Benefits include "breaking up" muscle spasms and increases the flow of oxygen to the muscles. Massage also lengthens and relaxes muscle groups allowing them to rest. Range of motion and flexibility are restored.

Massage therapy is an ideal suppliment to other treatment approaches, such as chiropractic, and may help prevent problems that lead to or aggravate sciatica.

Our clinic offers a team approach to your sciatic issues, please call Family First Chiropractic and Wellness at 142 Erickson Drive, Red Deer  403-347-3261

www.family1stchiro.ca