While sciatic nerve impingement/pain is the leading cause of lower back pain, it is not always the case of backache. Your back is a supportive structure comprising numerous bones, muscles, and soft tissues. Several times, deformity or disorder of any of this working armamentarium puts you in perpetual agony. So, in this article, we discuss conditions that are like sciatica and how you can manage them!
Conditions Which Mimic Sciatica
Joint Misalignment
The sacroiliac joint (SI) is an important joint whose misalignment contributes to 10-25% of cases with low back and leg pain. Malignment of the joint mimics sciatic pain as patients experience radiating pain into the groin (or even lower extremity) with localized tenderness. Sacroiliac joint dysfunction is a common disorder that gives sciatica-like symptoms. Therefore, experts advise clinicians to thoroughly examine the SI joint, hips, and spine when diagnosing radiating pain in the low back.
Iliotibial Band Syndrome
An unusual cause of low back pain is iliotibial band syndrome (ITBS). The IT band is a tendon present in the knee, and its swelling contributes greatly to knee pain. However, in some instances, the tightness of the tendon may contribute to lower back pain as well. Iliotibial band tightness and hip adductor weakness may be weakly linked to backache. So, getting your ITBS fixed can relieve you of back and knee pain.
Piriformis Syndrome
One of the most common conditions mistaken for sciatica is piriformis syndrome. Therefore, it is often referred to as pseudo sciatica. The piriformis muscle is a major muscle located in the buttocks region that allows you to move your legs. Inflammation of the muscle can press on the sciatic nerve and induce pain, numbness, and tingling like what we see in sciatica.
With advancements in diagnosis, clinicians now identify deep gluteal syndrome as a significant cause of sciatica-like pain and hip discomfort. The non-discogenic pelvic conditions (mimicking sciatica) that fall under this syndrome include:
- Piriformis syndrome
- Ishchiofemoral impingement syndrome
- Gemelli-obturator internus syndrome
- Proximal hamstring syndrome
Paraspinal Muscle Spasm
An overlooked cause of low back discomfort is muscle spasm of the paraspinal muscles. The group of muscles runs along the back of the spine and plays a crucial role in stabilizing it. Desk workers who spend long hours sitting on a chair often experience muscle spasms, which manifest as back pain, reduced range of motion. Quick diagnosis and management with modalities like foam rolling can evidently alleviate pain.
How To Manage Sciatica-Like Conditions?
The answer to this question is “chiropractic management”. The realignment of your spine and muscles not only resets the anatomical structures but also improves blood flow (which is needed for quick healing). Studies show that a combination of chiropractic manipulation and exercises works best for SI joint dysfunction. Professional stretching of a tight IT band (with trigger point therapy and chiropractic manipulation) can successfully relegate low back pain. This non-invasive treatment modality is great at releasing tight paraspinal muscles, too.
Chiropractic Treatment at The Legacy Clinic of Chiropractic
The Legacy Clinic of Chiropractic has, for years, helped diagnose and treat patients with spinal problems. Our experts not only heal you but also help identify tricky conditions. This helps provide the exact, custom-tailored therapy for you. So, if conventional therapy for sciatica isn’t working for you, visit us, as it might be a disorder similar to sciatica!
References
- Thawrani, D. P., Agabegi, S. S., & Asghar, F. (2019). Diagnosing sacroiliac joint pain. JAAOS-Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, 27(3), 85-93.
- Visser, L. H., Nijssen, P. G. N., Tijssen, C. C., Van Middendorp, J. J., & Schieving, J. (2013). Sciatica-like symptoms and the sacroiliac joint: clinical features and differential diagnosis. European Spine Journal, 22, 1657-1664.
- Arab, A. M., & Nourbakhsh, M. R. (2010). The relationship between hip abductor muscle strength and iliotibial band tightness in individuals with low back pain. Chiropractic & osteopathy, 18, 1-5.
- Park, J. W., Lee, Y. K., Lee, Y. J., Shin, S., Kang, Y., & Koo, K. H. (2020). Deep gluteal syndrome as a cause of posterior hip pain and sciatica-like pain. The bone & joint journal, 102(5), 556-567.
- Lankepillewar, S., Sapkale, S., & Nagulkar, J. (2024). The immediate effect of foam rolling in Paraspinal Muscle spasm, pain and range of motion in desk job workers.
- Hatık, S. H., Tekin, D., & Bayram, K. B. (2022). Comparing the effectiveness of chiropractic manipulation and muscle energy technique in sacroiliac joint dysfunction treatment. International Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine Research, 3(1), 8-17.
- Kasunich, N. J. (2003). Changes in low back pain in a long distance runner after stretching the iliotibial band. Journal of chiropractic medicine, 2(1), 37-40.