Written by Dr. Elliot Lysyk, DC ~ Vernon Chiropractor

The sciatic nerve runs from the spine down your leg, stemming from 5 vertebral levels in your low back. This nerve can become pinched in a variety of ways, causing pain to shoot through the buttock and down the leg. Many people also experience low-back pain alongside their sciatic pain.

A thorough Chiropractic exam in Vernon can reveal where the nerve is being pinched. If the pain has become chronic or relapses several times, I like to take a standing x-ray of the low back to examine the tiny spaces between the vertebrae where the nerves exit from the spine. Spinal misalignments are the main cause of sciatic pain. Understanding and treating these imbalances can successfully relieve this condition.

Once the pain resolves, I like to teach patients home care exercises, such as core stability, so that the chance of it returning drops substantially. As an added bonus, improving low-back alignment helps more than just back pain and sciatica. It’s common for patients to comment on improved digestion and leg strength, which are also controlled by the nerves in the low back.