Question
I have had 12 chiropractic treatments of about 10 minutes each to treat a
condition arising from an 18 year old injury which caused my syatic nerve to
be painful along the outer left calf, in the left hip joint and to cause
numbness along the outer left foot and in the two outer toes.  The treatments
involved also some neck crunching or twisting.  I have since developed
numbness in my left hand, the pinky and ring finger.  I have been told I
should come back for subsequent treatments for the leg problem but I am
afraid to do so as the leg condition does not seem better and the finger/neck
situation seems to have been caused by this practioner/treatment.  Could you
please advise?  The cure seems to be causing me more pain!

Answer
Andrea,

Thank you for your question.

I can see no valid reason for performing neck manipulation/adjustments to treat sciatic nerve symptoms; moreover, if a person does not have neck symptoms prior to receiving a cervical spine adjustment, it is my opinion that neck manipulation is not warranted.

The development of numbness in your left hand, pinky and ring finger raise the concern of disc derangement or some compression of a spinal nerve root. If the symptoms have onset after receiving neck manipulation, this procedure should be halted at once, and you might need to have an MRI of the cervical spine to rule out disc derangement or other pathology of the cervical spine, or at least be evaluated by a competent practitioner.

Additionally, if your sciatic nerve symptoms have persisted after 12 treatments, a new approach should be sought.

I recommend that you see a neurologist for evaluation of your sciatic nerve symptoms and your left hand numbness. Typically, these symptoms are easily evaluated and treated by a musculoskeletal-based chiropractor without complications, but based on your description of what has transpired, I have serious doubts as to whether you are being treated by a musculoskeletal-based chiropractor. You might need anti-inflammatory medication, and you might be better off seeing a physical therapist after having appropriate evaluation.

I hope that this answers your question.