Sciatica is condition caused by irritation or compression of the sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve is a combination of the L4, L5 and S1 nerve roots as they exit the lumbar spine between the vertebrae.
The role of the sciatic nerve is to give you sensory information and motor control (muscle contraction) to the back of you hip and thigh, lower leg and foot.
The sciatic nerve can be compression or irritated as the nerve roots exit the spine, or along its pathway down the leg.
Common Causes of Sciatica
- Disc bulge
- Spinal joint arthritis
- Local swelling
- Spinal abscess
- Spinal infection
- Poor lower back posture
- Tight or over sized piriformis muscle
- Hamstring tendinopathy
Common Symptoms of Sciatica:
- Lower back pain (not always)
- Pins and needles and numbness.
- Shooting, stabbing, burning or electrical pain in the gluteals, outter thigh, hamstring, calf, shin, foot
- Pain with limited movement
- Want to keep moving
- Disturbed sleep
How Can We Help
Your Osteopath will:
-asking you various questions about your pain
-looking at your posture and watch how your lower back and other areas of the body move
-hands on examination to feel the lower back bones, joints, muscles, and other relevant areas
-nerve testing to determine how much the sciatic nerve is compressed
Diagnosing:
-educate you on what is causing your sciatic, why it occurred and how to fix and manage it
-imaging include an xray or MRI may be needed
Treatment may include:
–hands no manual therapy to loosen tight muscles and move restricted joints that are causing the sciatic nerve compression
-dry needling
-posture and dally movement advice
-exercise rehabilitation to strengthen muscles and improve stability and mobility of you lower back
Your Osteopath at All About Movement will refer you to your GP if they feel another opinion, investigations, medications or Specialist referral are needed. We will also refer other health professional for other forms of treatment so you are getting the best all round care.
