Have you noticed these three common sciatica signs?

There are about 65 million Americans that have reported a recent bout of back pain according to the Health Policy Institute at Georgetown University. Back pain can be a sign of many issues, and one of these problems is sciatica. Along with pain, there are two other symptoms that can indicate you have sciatica, and together these symptoms are the three most common sciatica signs. 

1.   Pain

As with many back problems, pain is the most common sciatica sign. However, sciatica pain is very different from other types of back pain. For example, the pain often begins in the lower back and seems to move down through the buttock into the leg or foot. It follows this pathway because the sciatic nerve runs through these areas of the body, and sciatica’s root cause is typically irritation or pinching of the sciatic nerve. Also, people have described the pain as sharp and burning. It can also get worse after long periods of sitting or bending the back in certain ways. 

2.   Odd sensations in the leg

Since the sciatic nerve serves the leg and foot, people with sciatica can experience some abnormal sensations in the leg or foot. For one thing, many people report feeling numbness in various areas of the leg. You can also have pins-and-needles sensations in the lower body. Imagine the feeling you get when sitting on your foot for too long, but you haven’t actually been sitting on the foot. That’s one sensation that can be a sign of sciatica. 

3.   Muscle weakness

Another common sciatica sign is weakness in the leg muscles. The sciatic nerve is responsible for sending nerve impulses from the brain to your legs and feet. However, these signals can be slowed or blocked by the issues causing your sciatica. When these signals are disrupted, it can be much harder for you to perform normal daily activities that involve the legs. For instance, your leg could buckle when you stand up. This can make it harder to get out of a chair or out of bed. Sciatica-related muscle weakness can also make walking more difficult. 

Find effective physical therapy techniques for sciatica at Armor Physical Therapy

Southwestern Michigan residents don’t have to wonder where to go for help with sciatica any longer. At Armor Physical Therapy, we’re ready to help you treat the signs of sciatica and other back problems. Our team will first do a one-on-one screening, and this can help us figure out the root cause of your condition. Then, we’ll build you a personalized treatment plan that may include therapy techniques like: 

• Manual therapy
• Therapeutic exercises
• Electrical stimulation
• Myofascial release

Are you ready to start treating your sciatica? Contact us today for more information or to schedule an initial appointment.