Sciatica chiropractor in Kingswood, Mitcham
That line of pain from the lower back into the leg has a habit of dominating everything else. We assess the back, pelvis and hips together, then explain what we have found.
What sciatica feels like for the people we see in Kingswood
Sciatica describes irritation of the sciatic nerve, which runs from the lower back through the buttock and down the leg. People usually describe the leg long before they mention the back.
- A line of pain running from the buttock down the back of one leg
- Burning, tingling or an electrical quality rather than a plain ache
- Symptoms that flare when sitting, driving or standing in one spot
- Weakness or heaviness in the leg or foot
- Coughing or sneezing that sends a jolt down the leg
Leg pain has more than one cause, and not all of it is sciatica. Working out which one you have is the point of the first visit.
What we assess
The sciatic nerve can be irritated at several points along its path, so we look at the lower back, the pelvis and the hips together rather than assuming where the problem sits.
Your history
Where the pain travels, what brings it on, how long it has been there, and whether anything has changed recently.
Neurological screening
Reflexes, strength and sensation down the leg, which tells us how the nerve is behaving rather than only how it feels.
Structural assessment
How the pelvis sits, how the hips rotate and how the lower back moves, plus digital postural assessment.
Imaging when needed
X-rays are available on site. We use them when the examination points that way, not as a matter of routine.
Results vary between individuals, and chiropractic care is not appropriate for everyone. Loss of bladder or bowel control, or numbness through the saddle area, is a medical emergency and needs a hospital rather than a chiropractor.
How chiropractic care might help your sciatica
People usually describe the leg long before they mention the back.
Where sciatic symptoms come from the way your lower back and pelvis are moving, chiropractic care aims to reduce the interference in that area so your nervous system can coordinate more easily. Many people find the leg settles before the back does, which surprises them.
Advanced BioStructural Correction, our main technique, works from head to toe rather than at the painful spot alone. With sciatica that matters, because what happens at the pelvis is often a response to something further up or further down.
Care is scheduled in cycles so your body gets repeated opportunities to adapt rather than starting from scratch each visit. How many cycles depends on what we find and how long you have been managing it.
Sciatica questions
How long does sciatica usually last?
It varies enormously. Some settle in weeks, others have had it on and off for years. The examination gives us a much better sense of which you are likely to be than any general answer would.
Should I rest or keep moving?
Complete rest usually makes things stiffer rather than better, though so does pushing through. We will give you something specific for your situation rather than a rule of thumb.
Is sciatica the same as back pain?
They often travel together, though they are not the same thing. Sciatica involves the nerve and refers down the leg. Our back pain page covers the other side of it.
Can you tell me what is causing it on the first visit?
Usually we can give you a clear picture at your Report of Findings visit, once we have been through the examination and any imaging together.
Let's have a look at it.
Book online, or ring the crew and describe what is going on. They will tell you straight whether this is something we can help with.