What is Sciatica?

Do you feel a shooting pain in your legs or hips?

Numbness or tingling?

You may have sciatica. Sciatica describes pain or discomfort that comes from the sciatic nerve, the largest nerve in your body. The sciatic nerve begins at your lower back, travels down through the hips, rear, and each leg. The pain can vary, ranging from mild pain to sharp jolts and can include sensations such as burning, numbness, and tingling. Typically, sciatica only affects one side of the body.

What causes sciatica?

A herniated disc or bone spur on the vertebrae are the most common causes of sciatica. To have a herniated disc means that the rubbery disc that sits between the vertebrae in your spine has been damaged. The disc is made up of a tough perimeter with a soft middle. The soft portion breaks through the tougher layer and presses up against the sciatic nerve, causing pain. In the case of bone spurs, a bony projection grows where your bones meet in a joint, such as the facet joints of the spine. These spurs can also rub up against the sciatic nerve. Herniated discs and bone spurs can occur in anyone, but usually occur in people between ages 35-50. 

Relieve Your Sciatica at the Best Chiropractor in Ann Arbor 

If you’d like to end the shooting pain of sciatica, call Thatcher Chiropractic & Laser today! Our patients call us the best chiropractor in Ann Arbor for a reason.

“I have been going to Dr. Thatcher for many, many years and whenever I leave his office, I feel like a new person. I would recommend anyone looking for a top-notch chiropractor to try Dr. Thatcher. You will not be sorry.”

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