If you're overweight, you've probably been told many times that you should lose weight. Not only is obesity dangerous for your health, but it could be the primary cause of your back pain. Carrying around extra weight can lead to back problems, including a condition known as sciatica.  

What Is Sciatica?

Mayo Clinic reports that one of the top risk factors for developing sciatica is obesity. When you are overweight, the extra weight you are carrying can place a lot of stress on your sciatic nerve, which extends from the lower back down the center of each of your legs. This nerve is the largest nerve found in your body, and extra stress on it can trigger a condition known as sciatica.

What Does Sciatica Feel Like?

If you develop sciatica, you are likely to feel pain in your lower back and in your legs. The symptoms of sciatica can include:

• Pain confined to only one leg, or it could affect both legs
• A dull pain or a throbbing type of pain, or a very sharp type of pain
• Numbness or tingling in your legs or feet
• Sharp pain in your lower back
• Pain that is burning
• Pain that worsens when you stand or walk

It's usually fairly easy to know if the problem you have is caused by sciatica, because it will affect at least one of your legs. If you are feeling this type of pain, you may want to seek help for it by visiting a chiropractor, such as Chiropractor Plus.

How Is It Treated?

Back pain specialists, such as chiropractors, can treat sciatica in several ways. The first method involves spinal manipulation, which is something chiropractors use to treat all types of back pain. Spinal manipulation is used to relieve the pressure on the nerves in your back, and it can be very affective for treating sciatica. In addition to this, your doctor might recommend:

• Losing weight – If you continue to carry around a lot of extra weight, it could cause you to face problems with sciatica for the rest of your life.
• Exercising and stretching – Performing stretching exercises can help loosen your muscles, which may help prevent pinched nerves from forming in your back.
• Massage therapy – Getting a massage may also help loosen your muscles, which could help you prevent sciatica in the future.

If you are struggling with sciatica or any other type of back pain, you should consider visiting a chiropractor today. He or she can help you find relief and will be able to do this with natural treatment methods.