What is Sciatica

New York City residents are very likely to suffer from back problems, which can often mean suffering from leg pain or numbness in the form of Sciatica.

Sciatica isn't a condition itself but it is the symptoms of a spinal nerve being impinged, irritated, or otherwise agitated from a bulging, herniated or ruptured spinal disc. Here is a short video about Sciatica, using the "Superspine" spinal model.

What Causes Leg Pain?

As New Yorkers, we are always on the move. Time is money; you’ve got to move fast in this town to succeed. That’s one reason that chronic or severe leg pain is a big problem. More than anything, it’s the pain that’s the problem of course, but the consequences to everyday life are quite noticeable too. So what the heck causes leg pain? How is it capable of so acutely affecting our lives? To the second question, there is probably no satisfactory answer aside from the obvious one (being in constant pain is miserable), but the first is much more quantifiable.

Leg pain is a very general term and doesn’t tell us a lot about the underlying causes, but as far as patients we often see at Living Well Medical here in NYC are concerned, they generally belong to two categories: neurological and musculoskeletal.

Neurological of course means that it involves the nervous system. The legs and lower body is innervated by the sciatic nerve roots that exit the spine in lumbosacral region (lower back and pelvic area). Sometimes, other structures like muscles, fascia or support structures like spinal discs can impinge upon these important nerves. The result can be pain (in the legs, lower back, buttocks, etc.), numbness, tingling, muscle weakness and worse in extreme cases. The most common symptoms are generally associated with sciatica, a group of symptoms related to a pinched sciatic nerve. So essentially, a pinched nerve from something like a bulging or herniated disc might be at the heart of the pain. Spinal decompression, chiropractic adjustment with the Cox flexion technique and even traditional pain management are commonly part of a Living Well Medical complete pain relief programs for leg pain of this type.

Musculoskeletal pain is another common culprit in leg pain, particularly sports-related injuries. If you have ever pulled a hamstring or strained a calf, you know what it feels like. Shin splints, Achilles tendonitis, runner’s knee - there is a world of injuries that come with physical activity. Your legs probably hurt because you have overexerted yourself in some way with these types of injuries. Whether related to repeated stresses on a muscle group or heavy weight bearing activity, your body has a threshold past which you shouldn’t force it. We regularly treat patients like these with non-invasive treatments like Active Release Technique and massage therapy, but the particulars of the case will always determine the course of treatment; there isn’t really a cookie-cutter way to relieve pain. At least, not if you want lasting relief.

So those are the basics of leg pain. It should be noted that this in no way covers everything. It’s mainly meant to show some of our more common leg pain causes. If you have leg pain, we’re here. Call Living Well Medical in SoHo New York and make an appointment - 212-645-8151.

- Dr. Shoshany, NYC Chiropractor

How Can I Tell that I Have a Herniated Disc?

Chances are, during the course of your life, you've heard someone talk about having "slipped a disc." They likely mean a herniated disc. It's something I encounter week in, week out at Living Well Medical here in NYC. Maybe you got into a car accident that did it. People with jobs that require a lot of heavy lifting or weight-bearing are also some of the more common sufferers. What's more, as you get older, it gets easier for a spinal disc to herniate.

Now, not everyone who has a herniated disc will even feel pain. We see it all the time. On the other hand, there is definitely the potential for severe pain.

So maybe you have some awful back or neck pain, and you suspect a herniated disc. How in the world can you possibly tell if it is, in fact, a disc herniation? Are there certain symptoms? Are there any signs that conclusively point to it as the culprit? I'll explore these questions a little below and hopefully help anyone with chronic low back or neck pain get some answers.

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There are symptoms that are associated with a herniated disc. Radiating arm and/or leg pain, a weak grip, numbness, tingling, pins and needles, deep muscle pain, and pain in the mornings and nights are all symptoms that one can experience because of a herniated disc. Unfortunately, there are a number of nerve entrapments causes that can lead to similar symptoms, so in terms of a "definitive" set of symptoms, a self-diagnosis for any one of these symptoms just can't be 100% accurate.

The only sure-fire way to know if you have a herniated disc is to get medical imaging scan done, specifically an MRI. I know, probably not the news you were hoping to hear, but the truth is that there are just too many other potential reasons for the types of pain described above. Diagnostic imaging can give a physician the detailed images of the spine they need to understand what is happening to you.

If you are in pain, Living Well Medical in NYC has a strong relationship with MRI facilities throughout the city, so you can get the help you need. And if you do have a herniated disc, we can prescribe effective, non-surgical treatment like spinal decompression, gentle chiropractic care, and physical therapy. Give us a call at 212-645-8151 today if you need someone who can guide you through stopping pain.

- Dr. Shoshany