Sciatica
What Is Sciatica?
At The Physiotherapy Place we commonly treat nerve pain, and within this category one of the issues that we see regularly is sciatica. Sciatica is a common term used to describe any condition that involves irritation of the sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve is one of the main nerves that exits the spine at the lower back and travels through the buttock and down the back of the leg to the ankle and foot. Nerves have two main functions - to give us sensation and to provide the muscles with power. Therefore the symptoms of sciatica are one or all of:
sensory disturbance such as numbness or pins and needles
loss of power in some of the leg muscles
pain in the lower back or leg
pain can be sharp and shooting in acute sciatica, or dull and achey if it is more of a chronic problem
What Triggers Sciatica?
Sciatica is triggered by anything that causes irritation to the sciatic nerve. In many cases this is due to the nerve becoming pinched somewhere along its pathway. This can happen at the spine, in the buttock, or anywhere down the leg. There will usually be an underlying reason that the nerve is getting pinched - poor posture or movement patterns are two common ones - and it is often the case that the problem will have been building up for a while before you even feel anything. The actual incident that triggers the pain is often just the straw that breaks the camels back.
What Is The Recovery Time For Sciatica?
Sciatica can last anywhere from a few weeks to several months, or in some cases it can persist for years. If the underlying cause of the sciatica is diagnosed early and the appropriate treatment commenced then sciatica can usually be settled within the lower range of these timeframes.
How Do I Relieve Sciatic Nerve Pain?
The key is figuring out what is irritating the nerve and why it has happened. Once this is known then the aggravating factors can be removed so as not to continue irritating the nerve. Taking pressure off the sciatic nerve, allowing the nerve to glide fully without restriction, and taking steps to calm the nerve down will all combine to relieve symptoms.
What Is The Best Treatment For The Sciatic Nerve?
To achieve what is required to settle the sciatic nerve down, I use:
manual therapy and specific exercises to free the nerve up and get it moving properly again.
Gunn IMS or acupuncture as it can directly stimulate the nerve and improve the nerve conduction. This is the best treatment for calming the nerve down.
I also recommend using heat over ice for sciatica for the simple reason that heat increases blood flow to the area and the nerve requires a large blood flow to function well so it is beneficial to increase blood flow to the nerve.
What To Avoid When You Have Sciatic Nerve Pain?
Try your best to avoid spending time in positions that aggravate your sciatica. Not all sciatica acts the same so in some cases this might mean that you should limit sitting and driving if this causes pain, and in other cases standing and walking may be more painful so those need limited.
What Exercise Can I Do For Sciatica?
This depends on what is causing the sciatic nerve pain. Generally speaking, gentle stretches to get the lower back moving are good but must be pain-free to avoid further aggravation. Similarly, general low impact activity such as walking, cycling, or swimming is good as long as it is pain-free. You can find some more specific exercises for sciatica here.
How Long Does Sciatica Last?
Once the sciatic nerve is free to move and appropriate treatment is commenced, symptoms should settle with 1-2 months. If the nerve isn’t managed well and continues to be aggravated then the sciatica can last several months or even years.
What Will A Physio Do?
A physiotherapist will diagnose what exactly is the cause of sciatica so that the optimal treatment plan can commence.
Hands on treatment to the spine and hip is best to free up space around the sciatic nerve to allow it to glide normally again. This is key as it will mean that the nerve can begin to heal.
I also use Gunn IMS or acupuncture as this is a great way to stimulate the nerve and speed up the settling down process.
You will also be guided through a specific exercise program to aid your recovery and improve your strength and flexibility so that once a full recovery is made, the risk of it reoccurring are much reduced.