Does Sciatica Bother You So Much?
Sciatica is a painful syndrome caused by compression or irritation of the sciatic nerve. This nerve is a very large nerve, which is made up of several smaller nerves that originate from the spinal cord in the lower back (lumbar spine) and come together to form the one big sciatic nerve which passes through the gluteal region – buttock, and then runs down the back of the thigh and leg. Symptoms of sciatica may include the following: pain in the buttock, numbness, muscular weakness, pins and needles or tingling, difficulty moving or controlling the leg.
Conditions Treated
- Pain Conditions: herniated (bulging) disc in the lower back, bony growths on the spine, arthritis in the low back or hip, tight muscles in the buttock or trauma to the lower back, pregnancy, due to changes in the pelvis and lower back.
- Tips: AVOID all postures and activities that put strain on your lower back or cause you any pain. If you have a desk job, make sure you are not sitting ALL day. Also having the option of a standing desk can be very helpful too so you can alternate your work stations so you are not in the one position all day! And for females, avoid high heels as this causes a change in the lower back posture and causes a further arch in the back as well as muscles to tighten in the lower back , gluteal and hamstring regions and this can cause the sciatic nerve to be irritated even further.
How Osteopathy helps
Osteopathy can be useful in relieving the symptoms of sciatica. Osteopaths address the whole body system to improve both symptoms and whole body function. They work on the soft tissue structures such as muscles, ligaments, and connective tissue, as well as joints and incorporate treatment to include creating optimal circulatory and lymphatic drainage to help with any associated inflammation, joint restrictions and muscle spasm. This means that when they treat sciatica they are treating the whole person, not just one site of pain. Techniques employed can include massage, mobilization and articulation of joints and muscles, muscle and connective tissue gentle release techniques, and stretching. These all help in turn to off load the sciatic nerve, and irritated underlying lumbar discs and joints.