Sciatica is a term used often, but not always accurately — it specifically describes pain that travels along the path of the sciatic nerve, usually from the lower back or buttock down through the back of the leg, rather than general leg or back pain on its own.

The sciatic nerve is the longest and widest nerve in the body, running from the lower spine down each leg. Sciatica occurs when this nerve is irritated or compressed at some point along its path — commonly where it exits the lower spine. This is why sciatica can produce symptoms well away from the original source of irritation, including pain, tingling, numbness, or weakness anywhere from the buttock to the foot.

Because sciatica follows a nerve pathway rather than a single sore spot, the pattern of where symptoms are felt — and what makes them better or worse, such as sitting, standing, bending, or coughing — gives useful information about what's contributing to the irritation. This is different from typical muscular back pain and generally benefits from an assessment that looks specifically at nerve-related signs, not just the lower back.

Sudden, severe weakness in the leg, numbness in the inner thighs or groin area, or any loss of bladder or bowel control alongside leg pain are red-flag symptoms that need urgent medical assessment, not a chiropractic visit first. Outside of those signs, ongoing or recurring sciatic-type symptoms are worth having properly assessed to understand what's contributing to the nerve irritation.

More detail on how sciatica-type symptoms are assessed is available on our website