Not all back pain is sciatica, and not all sciatica feels like typical back pain. The distinction matters because the treatment approach is different. Here’s how to tell what you’re dealing with.
What Is Sciatica, Exactly?
Sciatica isn’t a diagnosis — it’s a symptom. It describes pain that radiates along the sciatic nerve, which runs from your lower back through your buttocks and down the back of each leg. True sciatica is caused by compression or irritation of the sciatic nerve, most commonly from a herniated disc, restricted lumbar joints, piriformis syndrome, or spinal stenosis.
The key feature of sciatica is that the pain travels. It doesn’t stay in one spot — it shoots, radiates, or burns from the lower back or buttock down the leg, sometimes all the way to the foot.
How Back Pain Is Different
General back pain — the kind most people experience at some point — is localized. It stays in the lower back area, may feel like a dull ache or muscle tightness, and is often related to muscle strain, poor posture, or restricted spinal joints. It doesn’t typically radiate into the legs or cause numbness and tingling.
Back pain can be caused by many things: sitting too long, lifting incorrectly, sleeping in awkward positions, or general deconditioning. It’s uncomfortable, but it doesn’t involve nerve compression.
The Key Differences at a Glance
Why the Distinction Matters
The treatment approach for sciatica often needs to address the nerve compression specifically — whether that’s through spinal adjustments to restore joint mobility in the lumbar spine, spinal decompression therapy to relieve disc pressure, or specific rehabilitation exercises to stabilize the area. General back pain may respond well to adjustments, soft tissue therapy, and postural correction without the need for decompression.
Getting the right diagnosis from the start means you get the right treatment from the start — and recover faster.
When to See a Chiropractor
If your back pain is radiating into your leg, if you have numbness or tingling, or if you’ve had back pain for more than a week that isn’t improving, it’s time to get assessed. At Full Potential Chiropractic, our chiropractors see both conditions daily and can quickly determine what’s driving your symptoms and build the right plan.
Not Sure If It’s Sciatica?
A thorough exam will tell you exactly what’s going on. $49 Chiropractic New Patient Exam — same-day appointments available.
Also available: 10% off your first massage — Registered Massage Therapists, direct insurance billing.
