Blog post #274 from Ann Arbor, Michigan, chiropractor Mike Tannenbaum, D.C., of Tannenbaum Chiropractic, LLC: Sciatica 

A question often asked of me by my patients at my Ann Arbor Chiropractic office is “What is sciatica?” Most of my patients have a general idea of what it is but would like some clarification. So, this is what I tell them: 

Sciatica is a relatively common ailment that is caused by the injury or inflammation of the sciatic nerve. The two sciatic nerves (one on the left, one on the right) begin in the low back, where several major nerves in that region bundle together. Each sciatic nerve then runs to the front of the pelvis and into the thigh, then splits into multiple nerves, ultimately extending to the lower leg, the bottom of the foot, and the big toe on each side of the body.  

The Most Common Symptoms of Sciatica 

• One leg is affected – not both. 

• Numbness or tingling in the leg. 

• Pain in the buttock or leg that worsens when sitting. 

• Sharp and/or shooting pain anywhere through the sciatic nerve’s path when standing. 

• Weakness in the foot, or general difficulty using the foot. 

Less Common Symptoms of Sciatica 

• Pain in the bottom of the foot and/or big toe. 

My Ann Arbor chiropractic patients ask me if chiropractic can help resolve sciatica. Chiropractic generally is an excellent, very effective, noninvasive treatment of sciatica and of course, there are no drugs or surgery involved in the treatment. 

If you have any questions about this blog post, chiropractic, back pain, neck pain, or headaches, I can be reached at my Ann Arbor chiropractic office at [email protected].  

The information presented in this blog post is for educational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice.