How Disc Injuries Affect Your Nerves (Sciatica Explained)

How Disc Injuries Affect Your Nerves Have you ever felt pain shooting from your lower back all the way down your leg? Maybe it burns…Maybe it tingles…Or maybe your foot even goes numb. A lot of people call this “sciatica” — but what’s actually happening inside your body? I'm Dr. Garst with The Well Chiropractic Clinic in Mesa / Gilbert, Arizona and today, I’m going to show you how a disc injury can irritate your nerves and create sciatic pain… and why the pain isn’t always where the real problem starts. Lets start by explaining WHAT sciatica is Sciatica isn’t actually a diagnosis by itself. It’s a symptom caused by irritation or compression of the sciatic nerve — the largest nerve in your body. About the size of your thumb. That nerve starts in your lower back… travels through your hips and glutes… and runs all the way down each leg. So when something irritates the nerve near the spine, the pain can radiate far away from the actual injury. That’s why someone with a disc problem in the lower back may feel: Buttock pain, Leg pain, Tingling, Numbness, Burning sensation, Or weakness in the foot or leg HOW DISCS WORK Between each bone in your spine sits a spinal disc. Think of these discs like shock absorbers. Each disc has: A tough outer layer. And a softer gel-like center Their job is to absorb pressure and help your spine move properly. But over time — or after an injury — those discs can become damaged. When the outer layer weakens, the inner material can start pushing outward. This is what people commonly call: A bulging disc, Herniated disc, Or slipped disc....And here’s where the nerve problem begins. Lets talk about HOW THE NERVE GETS IRRITATED Your spinal nerves exit through small openings between the vertebrae. When a disc bulges backward, it can crowd that space and irritate the nearby nerve root. Sometimes the nerve is compressed mechanically… But inflammation is also a huge factor. The chemicals released from an injured disc can irritate the nerve even without major compression. That irritated nerve then sends pain signals down the path of the sciatic nerve. Which means: The pain you feel in your leg may actually be coming from your lower back. Sciatica symptoms can look different from person to person. Some people feel: Sharp shooting pain, Burning pain, Pins and needles, Numbness, Muscle weakness, Or pain that worsens when sitting A common pattern is pain traveling down one side of the body. And in more severe cases, people may notice weakness lifting the foot or standing on their toes. That’s why getting evaluated properly matters. WHAT MAKES DISC INJURIES WORSE? Certain movements and habits can place more pressure on injured discs. Things like: Prolonged sitting, Poor lifting mechanics ,Repetitive bending, Lack of movement, And weak core stability For many people, sitting actually increases sciatic symptoms because it raises pressure inside the disc. That’s why some patients say: “I feel better walking… but worse sitting in the car.” Here is HOW CHIROPRACTIC CARE can help. Treatment depends on the cause and severity of the problem. In chiropractic care, the goal is to remove pressure on your nervous system so your body can help at 100% capacity. We do this by....Improve spinal movement ,Reduce mechanical stress ,Improve joint function, And help calm irritation around the nerve Treatment typically includes: Chiropractic adjustments, Mobility work, Soft tissue therapy, Rehab exercises, posture correction, and habit retraining. Just to name a few. The important thing is identifying why the nerve is irritated in the first place Sciatica can be incredibly frustrating… but understanding the cause of the nerve irritation is the first step toward recovery. If you found this video helpful, make sure to like, subscribe, and leave a comment below with your questions. And if you know someone struggling with sciatic pain, send this video to them — it may help them finally understand what’s going on. Thanks for watching, and I’ll see you in the next video.