Sciatica

If your sciatic nerve becomes inflamed, the condition is known as sciatica (pronounced si-ad'-i-ka). The pain can be extreme! It often follows the route of your guts - down the back of your leg, foot, ankle, and toes - but it may also radiate to your back! Together with burning, sharp pains, you might also feel nerve sensations like pins-and-needles, tingling, prickling, crawling sensations, or tenderness. Paradoxically, your leg may also feel numb!

To simplify things, though sciatica pain is usually in the back of the thighs or legs, some individuals might feel pain at the front or side of the thighs or perhaps at the buttocks. For many, the pain is in both legs: bilateral sciatica!

The standard of pain may vary. There can be constant throbbing, but it can let up for hours or even days; it may ache or be knife-like. Sometimes postural changes like boils or changing positions influence the pain, and sometimes they do not. In acute cases, sciatica can result in a loss of reflexes or perhaps a squandering of the calf muscles.

For sciatica sufferers, a fantastic night's sleep might be a thing of the past. Simple things like walking, walking, or standing up can be hard or impossible.

As a Board Certified Chiropractic Neurologist, I take a different approach to the prevention and treatment of sciatica. After a thorough neurological examination, I determine which part of the nervous system isn't functioning properly. In most sciatica patients, I find a high mesencephalic output.

There are 3 elements to the brain stem: top, middle and lower. The mesencephalon is the top region of the brain stem. A high output of the mesencephalon will cause an increased pulse and heart rate, the inability to sleep, or a waking, fitful sleep. Other symptoms may include urinary tract infections, increased heat and sweating, and sensitivity to light. Together with a high mesencephalic output, the migraine patient may present with a decreased output of the cerebellum. The cerebellum controls balance, coordinated motion, and the involuntary muscles of the spinal column.

Regardless of what the condition, it is very important that the chiropractic neurologist performs a thorough and comprehensive exam to ascertain the specific nature of the patient's condition.