Pain that runs down your leg

Sciatica is usually a sharp, shooting, burning or electric-shock pain that travels from the lower back or buttock down the back of one leg, sometimes all the way into the foot. It can also bring numbness, tingling or weakness in that leg.

If you have radiating leg pain like this, particularly if it began alongside low back pain, you may have sciatica. Dr. Casteel evaluates your symptoms and confirms the diagnosis during your consultation.

A common cause is a lumbar disc herniation, where a disc in the lower back bulges out and presses on a nerve root. Others include spinal stenosis, vertebral misalignment, piriformis syndrome, spondylolisthesis and degenerative disc disease.

Dr. Casteel’s evaluation looks for the specific cause in your case. It shapes the care he recommends.

It can contribute. Long stretches of sitting, particularly with poor lower back support or a pelvis tilted forward, raise the pressure on the discs in the lower back and can compress the sciatic nerve. Many patients who spend long hours at a desk or in a vehicle build up this kind of postural stress.

Dr. Casteel’s care can include adjustments, guidance on how you sit and work, and Lifestyle & Nutritional Advice aimed at the sitting-related factors behind your symptoms.

Gentle, targeted movement is often part of care for sciatica, and complete rest is usually not advised. But some positions and exercises can aggravate an irritated nerve.

Dr. Casteel sets a specific exercise program for you from Stretching & Strengthening Exercises, suited to where you are in your care, so you can stay active while protecting the nerve.