Sciatica
Sciatica
What do we mean by sciatica? The word actually suggests irritation of the sciatic nerve which runs from the low back / lumbar spine through the buttock, into the back of the thigh, behind the knee and down into the calf and foot. We often imagine in these circumstances that the sciatic nerve is damaged/ pinched or trapped. This can indeed be the case, but a true ‘trapped nerve’ is likely to be compressing the lumbar nerve roots and will also likely be associated with change in sensation with areas of numbness or ‘pins and needles’ (paraesthesia) and some specific muscle weakness in one or both legs.
Nerve trapping or irritation can come from various causes including:
- A prolapsed or herniated disc
- Lumbar spinal stenosis
- Facet joint enlargement/swelling
It is important to try to avoid excessive nerve irritation and to be on the right type of pain killers to allow you to keep moving and get some valuable sleep. Unfortunately, sciatic pains are often worse at night and finding a comfortable position can be a challenge in the initial stages.
As sciatica improves the pain often ‘centralises’ ie localises more to pain around the back and becomes less severe into the leg.
The term ‘sciatica’ is often used in general language for any leg pain that can be linked to a back problem. This is not always true sciatica but can be ‘referred pain’ where pain from the spine is misinterpreted by the brain as coming from the leg. This type of problem generally settles more easily and is often described as ‘mechanical’ or ‘simple’ back pain. Treatment is generally of a mechanical nature ie hands on treatment and/or exercise prescription alongside reassurance and support.
Whatever the cause and type of back related leg pain, the Physios at Ashbourne and Hilton Physio Centres have decades of experience and will be able to explain what type of problem you have and the best approach to treat. Should you need help with medication, further investigations, scans or even a surgical opinion, we have close links and relationships with local GPs and Consultants built up through being in business for over 35 years. We appreciate that every single case of sciatica is different and promise to treat you as an individual and not a ‘condition’.