Many people associate their local chiropractor with providing relief from back pain and neck pain, but if you're experiencing sciatica, a common type of radiating pain that affects your backside, hips and legs, a chiropractic adjustment can provide some relief. Some cases of sciatica disappear on their own, which doesn't necessarily mean that you need the intervention of a healthcare professional. However, if you're dealing with constant or recurring symptoms of this condition, it's a good idea to call the local chiropractic clinic and schedule an appointment. Here are some specific warning signs that you're dealing with sciatica.

Pain That Moves

One of the most common types of pain that you'll experience when you have sciatica is pain that "shoots" or otherwise moves throughout specific parts of your body. Because sciatica commonly occurs as a result of a pinched nerve in the spine, you'll often notice sharp pain that begins in your hip and seems to move through your buttocks and even down your outer upper leg. This pain can be fickle; sometimes it can occur when you move in a certain manner, and other times it takes place when you're sitting perfectly still — often giving you quite a surprise that may make you flinch or even cry out.

Numbness In Your Leg

Sciatica can also result in a numb feeling similar to what you might experience when you sit on your foot and it falls asleep. Instead of your foot, however, this numbness will occur down the outer side of your upper leg, although it could also extend below the knee and even to your foot in some cases. The degree of numbness that you experience can range significantly. In some cases, the affected area will feel tingly; in other cases, you won't be able to feel the area at all. Varying degrees of "pins and needles" discomfort is also possible in any of the affected areas.

Weakness In Your Muscles

Some people with sciatica feel as though their hips, buttocks, legs or feet — often on one side rather than on both sides concurrently — are weak. The weakness can occur in varying degrees. In some cases, you might feel as though you're not physically up to performing a task such as climbing the stairs. Or, you might feel that the weakness on one side of your body could cause you to stumble or lose your balance. In each of these cases, a visit to the chiropractor can fix the problem at its source through a spinal adjustment.

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