SCIATICA SERIES PART 2: Sciatica Explained by Crofton Chiropractor

Classic sciatica is pain in the middle of the buttock in the area of the external rotator muscles of the hip. The piriformis muscle is the most likely culprit. In fact, a common clinical name for sciatica is “piriformis syndrome”.

I appreciate the simplicity of the name “piriformis syndrome”, but as a guide for forming a treatment approach it is incomplete for me.

The question I always ask when I have a patient at Grande Family Chiropractic in Crofton with raging sciatica pain is: why are the piriformis and adjacent muscles so painful?

Overcoming Sciatic Pain in Crofton MD

As you may have read in many valuable authoritative websites, a description of sciatica often includes mention of the usual suspects behind sciatica pain: the sciatic nerve, the posterior tibial nerve, the low back spinal nerve roots L4, L5 and S1, lower lumbar disc degeneration, and arthritis.

All of the structures and processes mentioned above I find to be invaluable in addressing every patient’s sciatica pain.

But I don’t find them to be enough.

One big concept that I work under, and have developed over my 20+ years of working on sciatica patients is that once a problem like sciatica nerve irritation develops, another new problem develops, and takes on a life of its own.

This may sound like common sense, but I find that in chiropractic and to some extent physical therapy practitioners when treating what are for the most part degenerative conditions, practitioners apply the more reductive thought process of surgeons or infectious disease specialists. Which means: narrow the problem down to one life-threatening factor and then fix it. Job done.

For surgeons and infectious disease doctors, for the most part they apply their treatment, check up on the patient for two months and then declare the patient dismissed. Their responsibility has rightly been fulfilled.

Generally I think for the sciatica patients I see, the treatment is not any one event like a day of surgery or a round of injections. Not only do they have work to do, but after the acute care treatment period is over, they still may have the problem that slowly created the sciatica pain in the first place.

Call Grande Family Chiropractic in Crofton today to schedule an appointment.

Next: the unusual suspects behind sciatica pain.