How does Sciatica pain occur?
Sciatica pain is technically an irritation of the sciatic nerve, which is compressed, irritated and entrapped. It runs from the lower spine through the buttock, back of thigh, leg and foot from L4-S3 and is 2 cm wide. Sciatica is a symptom rather than a true diagnosis and you need to find out what is causing compression on it, which structure is causing the sciatic pain in your case (see causes).
What are Sciatica Symptoms?
- Pain, burning, shooting, tingling, numbness in gluteal region
- Pain on back of thigh, calf, foot, toes.
- Usually affects one leg not both
- Lower back pain
- sometimes your leg pain is worse than the back pain
Possible causes of Sciatica
There are several reasons why you could develop sciatica pain. Perea msk specialists are highly knowledgeable, experienced on finding the cause and treating sciatica pain.
- Disc: cushions between vertebrae wear out and get thinner
- Spinal Stenosis: narrowing of spinal canal
- Spondylolisthesis: vertebra above slips forward on the one below- 5 stages
- Piriformis syndrome: nerve compressed due to muscular tightness in buttock region
- Pregnancy: common in later pregnancy due to changes in spinal curves increasing nerve compression
- Trauma: Sporting injuries, accidents, falls
- Osteoarthritis: articular cartilage loss in synovial joints osteophytes formation and or loss of joint height
- Osteoporosis: reduction in bone mass, fragile
- Fractures: as result of accidents or osteoporotic
- Muscle: either too weak or too tight
- Wear and tear: sport s hobbies compensations from previous accidents falls poor posture
- Cyst: causes pressure
- Tumours: causes pressure
Sciatica Diagnosis:
- Diagnosis is made base on your full medical history, including recent and past injuries
- Physical examination: testing muscle strength, flexibility and reflexes
- In some cases you might need X-rays, CT scan or MRI
How we treat Sciatica:
Our team of highly skilled msk specialists include osteopaths and physiotherapists, who will take a comprehensive medical history and study your body mechanics. Our therapists will apply their clinical knowledge and tests to diagnose as accurately as possible, to give you an overview of your condition and formulate a treatment plan or in severe cases refer for an X-ray, CT scam or MRI for further examination.
Initial treatment will be aimed at decreasing nerve compression and inflammation on the surrounding structures. Once you are out of the acute phase, you may be referred to our team of highly skilled soft tissue therapists who can further work on the release phase of chronic tight areas, restoring ideal muscle balance to your body to prevent reoccurrence. Please note low back conditions usually require regular maintenance treatments over the years to catch any symptoms early and prevent them from developing into severe injuries. A strengthening phase will follow, where you will be prescribed a combination of specific exercises suitable for your joints and muscles.
