When talking about sciatic pain, it refers to the pain that radiates through either leg. The pain usually feels like a sharp pain in certain positions. You may experience a variety of nerve symptoms depending on the discomfort in your leg such as numbness which may accompany the pain. Usually, the numbness is felt in a particular area, upon knowing where the numbness is, one can deduce the source of the ailment. You may experience muscle weakness if the ailment is severe.
The sciatic nerve is the longest nerve in the body that passes through most of the lower limb. Since the nerves can be affected and felt in many places, any irritation to it can cause quite unpleasant ailments in the body. Irritation factors may include a bulging disc, piriformis syndrome or spinal stenosis.
Leg pain may be caused by sacroiliac joint (SI joint) dysfunction
SI joint dysfunction is one of the most common lower back problems at the chiropractor’s clinic. SI joint dysfunction can cause a wide range of symptoms. The pain is usually felt in the lower back, but more distinct on one side than the other. The pain can also vary between sides. If the pain radiates, it is usually felt in either leg, but not usually below the knee. The pain can also radiate to the groin area or the buttocks.
The SI joint is a rigid joint, so it is not supposed to move much. However, its functioning is an integral part of dynamic motions. If the SI joint’s normal operation is disrupted, it can cause pain so great that a person cannot even sit properly.
The SI joint is located in the pelvis and links the pelvis iliac bone [“ristiluu-suoliluu” in Finnish] to the sacrum. “Suoliluu” [ilium] has become the common term used for this in Finnish. The most commonly used terms for the joints in English are the sacroiliac joint [“sacro-” from “sacrum” is translated as “ristinivel” in Finnish] and the ilium [“iliac joint” is translated as “suoliluunivel” in Finnish].
Patient stories about sciatic pain:
