As an RMT, I get a lot of clients coming in with pain in their lower back and they usually say that the are "having a really bad sciatica flare up". While this may be the case, sciatica is often misdiagnosed, wither it be a self-diagnosis or from a doctor, as there are many root causes of lower back pain. For this article, I wanted to break down what sciatica is so that you can know what to look for when speaking to your health practitioner. The sciatic nerve runs from the lower back and hips and helps the brain and central nervous system communicate with the lower limbs (legs, ankles, feet). It shares information about body movement, touch and temperature sensation as well as some organ function. When there is a compression on any aspect of this nerve it is called sciatica. This can be from a herniated disk, swelling/inflammation, an injury where there is an increase in muscle tension (that puts pressure on the nerve), bone spurs, and spinal stenosis (narrowing of the spinal canal), among other causes . This creates a disruption in the communication between the lower body and the central nervous system. Common symptoms include pain in the lower back, hips and the leg. It can travel as far down at the feet on the affected side. It can feel like an aching sensation, but more commonly it feels like a sharp/stabbing sensation. Muscle weakness and tingling may occur as well with the nerve compressed.
The solution to relieving sciatic symptoms depends on the cause:
Manual therapies can be beneficial when the soft tissue/joints are the contributing factor. They can help to relieve the pressure on the nerve by reducing inflammation and muscle tension, or correcting a misalignment. For more severe cases medical interventions are required, such as injections or surgery. This can be done if there is something outside of the scope of the other therapies (for example, if the client was born with the sciatic nerve piercing a muscle or ligament). Once the symptoms have reduced, doing some exercises to help strengthen the weak tissues and stretch the muscles with high tone can be done. Your health care provider can recommend some lifestyle changes that can help prevent sciatica symptoms from returning, such as being mindful of your body mechanics, regular exercise to keep your body moving, and being aware of how your posture affects your body. Thank you for taking the time to stop by today and I hope you have a great day!
Reference:
Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. (2020, August 1). Sciatica. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/sciatica/symptoms-causes/syc-20377435#:~:text=Sciatica%20refers%20to%20pain%20that,one%20side%20of%20your%20body.
What is sciatic NERVE PAIN?: Health & WELLNESS Tips. (2019, March 30). Retrieved April 29, 2021, from https://www.h-wave.com/blog/what-is-sciatic-nerve-pain/
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