The pain shoots down your leg—burning, tingling, almost electric. Anyone who’s felt it knows that this is the hallmark symptom of sciatica. But did you know that there’s more to sciatica than just leg pain? And what about the best treatment—should you get plenty of rest or join boot camp?

Sciatica isn’t a condition, disorder, or disease—though the pain may certainly warrant such a title. Sciatica is actually a group of symptoms. It involves the sciatic nerve, which is the longest and largest nerve in your body. The sciatic nerve is made from several nerve roots in your spine that merge and travel through your buttocks. It then extends down to your knee, where smaller nerves branch out from it and travel to your feet. Sciatica occurs when the sciatic nerve is compressed or aggravated in some way. So what causes that?

Have you done a lot of heavy lifting lately? Perhaps with poor posture? Heavy lifting can cause a disc in your low back to bulge or herniate, and that can pinch your sciatic nerve. Lumbar herniated discs are the most common cause of sciatica. Herniated discs aren’t caused only by heavy lifting—the effects of aging on your spine can also cause herniated discs.

Though a herniated disc is the most common sciatica cause, it isn’t the only one. Spinal stenosis, injury or trauma, and even pregnancy are other common culprits.

You likely understand the pain of sciatica—it can shoot from your low back down your legs, sometimes into your feet. Burning, numbness, and tingling are also common sciatica symptoms. You may find that sitting or walking can become painful chores—and even a cough or sneeze can cause your pain to flare up.

Bed rest might be best for a cold, but it won’t treat your sciatica any faster. In fact, it might slow down the healing process. Most studies support staying active with mild exercise. This doesn’t mean you should spend hours in a gym—that would only aggravate your sciatica. Think gentle stretches and soothing movements.

If your sciatica isn’t responding to at-home methods, you should talk to your doctor. He or she may recommend prescription medications or epidural steroid injections to reduce pain and inflammation. Or you may want to consult with a chiropractor . At our office we use specific therapies and techniques such as non-surgical spinal decompression therapy to reduce your sciatica pain.  The spinal decompression therapy has proven to be a very effective treatment for sciatica caused by a herniated or bulging disc in the lower back. For more information, contact our office at 604-984-4601 to set up a Free consult to see if you are a candidate for the non-surgical spinal decompression therapy.