Sciatica, Leg pain, Trapped nerves, Slipped Discs and Disc bulges

​Pain down the leg, typically the back of the leg, is termed sciatica as it follows the course of the sciatic nerve.  This pain should always be investigated as the cause can be serious.  However, if the pain does not go below the knee and is not accompanied by pins and needles or numbness, there is a good chance that this pain is referred from the lower back muscles and joints, or the hip.  Pain that travels below the knee (often accompanied by pins and needles, numbness, tingling, or burning pain) is true sciatic nerve pain and is likely to be due to an injury to one or more lumbar discs.  Often in the past this has been called a slipped disc, or a disc bulge, sciatica or a trapped nerve, but they are all the result of the same thing; damage to the lumbar disc.  This condition is serious and rarely resolves without treatment – if it is left for too long it often requires surgery, and there can be permanent damage to the nerve.
As a general rule, lumbar discs are very hardy.  It is difficult to injure them and most people who do suffer this type of pain have a long history of back problems which have lead up to the disc injury.  They may also have poor postural or structural configurations in their spine that have predisposed their injury and can be addressed with proper treatment and exercise.
Chiropractic is at the forefront of postural and structural correction, so if you do suffer pain of this type, do yourself a favour and give your chiropractor – or us – a call.
(Again, pain of this type can come from other, even more serious causes and should always be investigated.)