Do these symptoms sound familiar? “Hi Doc, I have been getting a dull achy pain that travels into my bottom and sometimes down the back of my leg. I think I have sciatica.” What you could actually be describing is not “sciatica” at all but pain referral from muscles and/or joints in the low back and pelvis. A few in particular are as follows:
- The Sacroiliac Joint
- Facet Joint
- The Gluteals
- Gluteus Maximus
- Gluteus Medius
- Gluteus Minimus
- Quadratus Lumborum
- Iliolumbar Ligament
These are just a few examples of structures around the low back and pelvis which can potentially cause pain that travels down the back of the leg. The difference from actual “sciatica” is that in most cases these structures listed don’t always travel past the knee down the back of the lower limb. There are some exceptions where the gluteals can travel past the knee but the path of the pain will be different from sciatic pain. Sciatica is a symptom of nerve entrapment specifically from the sciatic nerve which sits deep under the muscles in our buttocks. Sciatic pain will travel down the back of the leg past the knee into the lower limb and even the foot. This also may be accompanied by numbness and tingling and weakness in the leg or foot.
Again, please remember with neuromusculoskeletal conditions it isn’t always so black and white and conditions may not present the same in every person. So, it is always best to have an expert assess and advise on the issues. All the conditions above can be helped significantly with a combination of conservative treatment involving acupuncture, soft tissue therapy and adjustments complimented with specific rehab which I will talk about in part two of this blog.
If these are symptoms that you are currently experiencing or have experienced in the past, give us a ring at Neurohealth Chiropractic for more clarity and I will be more than happy to help.
