Aging Allergies Anxiety, Worry & Fear Bursitis Carpal Tunnel Check-Ups Cooking Feeling Healthy Fibromyalgia Handling Stress Feet Children Nagging Aches Nervous System Posture Pregnancy Sciatica Scoliosis Subluxation Wry Neck Your Car Healthy Habits Sciatica: A Pain in the Butt The nervous system is the first system that starts to develop in a growing embryo inside the mother after sex cells from both parents unite. The nervous system then helps to coordinate the growth and function of every part of the body right down to the level of each individual cell. It does this by either directly connecting to a part of the body or by stimulating the part of the body indirectly through the release of chemicals like hormones. Hence, our bodies are a chemical, physical, and mental mix of perfection! These nerves traverse our entire being and as long as their course is uninterrupted, the communication lines are clear and open. When irritated, the signals from the nerves become altered, increased or decreased. This causes pain like that in carpal tunnel, thoracic outlet syndrome, low back pain, headaches, and the like. It also causes decreased function in the part of the body connected to the nerve resulting in things like muscle spasms, sweating, wheezing, constipation, increased urination, etc. One such nerve pain has been given a specific name that most of us have come to recognize: sciatica. Sciatica is the name given to pain that occurs when a large bundle of nerves, the sciatic nerve, becomes irritated. The pain we feel may or may not be in the low back, but generally does include pain that travels down the buttocks and either behind the thigh or lateral side of the thigh to the knee and sometimes beyond to the foot and ankle. Often, this pain seems to "shoot" down the leg like a jolt or lightning bolt with certain movements. Other times, it continuously aches like a toothache. Either way, the discomfort is annoying and hampers the quality of life of the individual. Ways to check for sciatica or LBP include: sitting in a chair and straightening either leg to see if pain worsens or shoots down the leg lying on your back and lifting either leg straight up from the hip to see if pain worsens or shoots down the leg coughing or sneezing that worsens the pain or causes it to shoot down the leg poking your finger into your low back or buttocks to see if pain worsens or shoots down the leg If any of these signs are positive, you may indeed have sciatica. If they are, you definitely need to seek the advice and treatment of a chiropractor. If, at the same time, you feel you even need to attempt these tests, you are probably suffering from some form of low back or hip condition that should be examined by a doctor of chiropractic. Problems in this area of the body are a significant cause of discomfort and poor function of the individual. Government commissioned reports such as the Manga Report in Ontario state that chiropractic care is the treatment of choice for low back pain, including sciatica. Over 80% of North Americans will have some form or low back pain at some point in their life, many of which are preventable if problems are identified early enough. Therefore, regardless of age, regardless of the level of pain (if any), and regardless of your opinion of your health, a chiropractic check-up makes good sense. Don't let life become a pain in the butt, and don't let a pain in the butt slow you down now that you know the solution. Sign-up to receive Dr. Dave's bi-monthly newsletter, filled with helpful information to keep yourself healthy and happy. Add me Remove Me Email List Management by Ezine Director Download these two exclusive reports: "6 Secrets to a Healthy Pain-Free Body" and "6 Secrets to a Healthy Child". Copyright © 2003, Dr. David Koivuranta. All rights reserved.