Sciatica
Also known as: Sciatic nerve pain
Can be the cause of : Lower back pain
What is it? Sciatica treatment is the commonly treated back ailment at Bodyline Health – Sciatica is a
symptom of lower back pain where pain runs along the sciatic nerve – down the back and into the legs. The pain (often described as tingling, numbness, or weakness) can be “shooting” in the muscles of the buttocks and travel down the legs.
Symptoms: Sciatica is often characterised by one or more of the following-
- Pain across the lower back/buttock that runs down one leg (left or right side only, rarely both sides)
- “Shooting” down the leg but not past the knee
- Pain that gets worse when standing up from sitting position
- Causes difficult when walk for prolonged periods
- Burning or tingling pain that is rated as severe
Common Causes: There are numerous causes of Sciatica, however a large portion of all back problems occur when a person is
– More stress than usual,
– Completing greater periods of time sitting in a car/or at a computer,
– Changes in normal sleeping routine in different bed/ postures (i.e. with children)
– Or after doing repetitive movement that your body is not accustom too (such as painting up a ladder or digging in the garden).
One or a combination of these changes (in our experience) often results in two common conditions that than lead to irritation of the Sciatic nerve and the resulting back and leg pain.
- Piriformis Tension – the sciatic nerve runs under the when the Piriformis muscle (deep in the buttock). If the Piriformus muscle becomes irritated due to tightness or inflation it compresses the sciatic nerve underneath thus creating the sciatica-type pain.
- Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction – The sacroiliac joint is located at the bottom of the spine, there you see the two dimples at tthe If this joint is becomes misaligned, it is unable to function properly . This distortion cause nerve irritation, inflammation and tension to the muscles surrounding the joint thus causing sciatica-type pain.
Management and Treatment Plan: Diagnosis of “Sciatica” is done by examination of hip, back and leg movements to see where the discomfort lies. The majority of sciatica episodes usually subside within a 6-12 week time frame. However, with the correct treatment the recovery time can be cut in half.
Management techniques include: At Bodyline Health, our experienced practitioners offer the following treatments and advice will allow the more prompt and full recovery from your sciatica pain. Treatment techniques are as follows:
- Chiropractic/manual manipulation
- Massage
- Dry needling/acupuncture
- Home exercise and stretches for lower back pain
Interested? If you are in need of our services, we can help. Our clinic and phone lines are open 6 days a week, so give us a call on 9017 4784 and we can book you in for an appointment!
