Atlantic Coast Chiropractic

The roots of the sciatic nerve exit the spine through several levels in the lower back, join in the buttock
region, and travel down into the lower extremities. When pressure is applied to the sciatic nerve in the
lower back area, it can generate pain and other sensations down the nerve into one of the legs, a
condition we commonly refer to as sciatica.
In younger and middle-aged adults, the two most common causes of sciatica are a herniated disk in the
lower back or tightness of the muscles (piriformis syndrome) that attach the back to the hip. Because of
the structure of the sciatic nerve, the characteristics of the symptoms can direct a doctor on where to
look for potential causes in the lower back.
In sciatic patients under 55 years of age, the two lowest disks in the low back are the culprit 95% of the
time. The good news is that a systemic review of 49 published studies found that spinal manipulative
therapy, the primary form of care provided by Doctor of Chiropractic, is an effective non-surgical
treatment option for relieving local and radiating pain in patients with herniated disks in the lower back.
Even though sciatic pain is often initially sharp and severe, most cases can be successfully managed non-
surgically within four to six weeks; however, a referral to a specialist or a referral for advanced imaging
(such as an MRI) may be necessary to identify additional pain sources if the patients pain persists.
Surgery is usually restricted to those who have neurological loss and/or bowel bladder control problems.
As with many musculoskeletal conditions, the sooner one seeks care for the problem, the more likely
and the faster they will achieve a successful treatment outcome.
Here at Atlantic Coast Chiropractic, we utilize minimally invasive procedures such as decompression and
shockwave therapy to relieve and cure sciatic issues. These forms of treatments have minimal side
effects and results are usually seen within a few treatments. For more information visit our website at
www.atlantcoastchiro.com