Striking a Nerve
Sciatica is the condition involving the sciatic nerve, which is actually a group of nerves running from the lower back through the buttock and thigh to the knee, where it branches on down to the feet. Besides pain deep in the buttock, irritation of the sciatic nerve may also cause pain in the thigh that radiates down to the feet, as well as weakness and numbness in the legs. Diagnosis may reveal an injury to a spinal disc or inflammation and/or spasm of the piriformis muscle (the muscle in the buttock that maintain hip stability and allows you to lift your leg sideways). The first line of treatment after the acute pain has subsided is usually physical therapy.
Diagnosis of the cause of sciatic nerve pain is the first step in its treatment. If you suffer from this often-debilitating pain, see your doctor for an evaluation. If your doctor doesn’t suggest it him or herself, it is appropriate for you to inquire if physical therapy might benefit you. With your physician’s referral, please call us.
P.S. “Piriformis Syndrome” is estimated to be responsible for about 8 out of 100 cases of sciatic.
