Sciatica is a condition, known generally as a radiculopathy, that extends farther than what is considered to be usual low back pain. While those with sciatica can exhibit typical low back pain symptoms, they also suffer from other symptoms that travel down the lower extremity in a particular pattern. The pattern or path that the symptoms follow is known as a dermatome. Several types of symptoms can follow a dermatomal pattern including pain, tingling (paresthesia), numbness (anesthesia), an electrical sensation or even muscle wasting.

What causes sciatica? Sciatica is usually the result of a mechanical or physical problem in the spine. Most often, it results when disc material protrudes outside of the normal boundaries and puts pressure on a spinal nerve root. This can be the result of a single event or develop gradually, from repetitive microtrauma. In its initial stages, this pressure results in a sensation of tingling or even pain. Longer-term radiculopathies can lead to anesthesia or numbness. If this pressure is not relieved, more serious symptoms such as muscle wasting could result.

Sciatica is a treatable condition using conservative procedures that you would typically experience in your chiropractors office. If treatment is started early, there is an excellent prognosis for a complete recovery. However, if the symptoms are left to progress to numbness or muscle wasting, the prognosis for recovery could be diminished.

It should be noted that the symptoms of sciatica often follow a specific progression from tingling, to pain, to numbness and finally to muscle wasting. As your symptoms improve you may go back through the previous progression, meaning you may improve from numbness to pain, from pain to tingling and finally from tingling to normal sensation. Sometimes the progression from numbness to pain gives the patient the impression that the condition is getting worse. This is not the case. Numbness or loss of sensation means that the nerve is not functioning as it is supposed to, while pain, as uncomfortable as it is, indicates that the nerve is still functioning and, in this case, the condition is improving.

A similar situation, that is the compression of the nerve root, or radiculopathy, can also occur in the neck, or cervical spine, resulting in the same progression of symptoms. This condition is simply called cervical radiculopathy and includes the same progression of symptoms along similar dermatomal patterns in the upper extremities.

If you are experiencing sciatica or cervical radiculopathy we can help! Conservative chiropractic treatment has been shown to be a viable treatment option for these conditions. Call San Pedro N. Chiropractic Center at, 210–490–9169, to schedule an appointment.