Is sitting down becoming unbearable?
Do you have a shooting pain in your leg which makes it uncomfortable to rest comfortably?
Have you become reluctant to move or bend for fear of the pain that will come?
Is your pain keeping you awake at night?
If you’ve answered ‘YES’ to any of these questions then the solution to your problem is Chester’s Best Physiotherapy Clinic for Sciatica, Relive Physiotherapy!
When you are suffering from Sciatica, it can be very tempting to think that it is nothing and it will go away one day on its own.
Sciatica pain will never go away: FALSE (if you do the right things, such as Physiotherapy treatment, then it will go away).
Sciatica can cause permanent nerve damage: TRUE (sadly, it can if left untreated within the timeframe of the recovery period. Early treatment could save you from permanent nerve damage).
Sciatica will get better with EXERCISES: TRUE (sciatic symptoms improve with corrective exercises and standard ‘Hands-on’ Physiotherapy).
Resting and avoiding activities for a while will ‘magically cure’ your sciatic pain: FALSE (it actually makes the pain worse).
Sciatica is an injury in the leg: FALSE (sciatica actually comes from your sciatic nerve which means the pain is from your spine).
from your spine down through each of your legs to your feet and if it becomes compressed, you may feel some symptoms such as:
Numbness
Shooting, Burning or Stabbing Pain this can get worse if you cough, sneeze or generally try to move about. Back Pain isn’t usually a symptom of Sciatica, as any Sciatic Pain is usually felt in multiple areas.
Weakness in the legs
Pins and Needles, usually at the extremities, but you can get them anywhere.
Usually the symptoms are on one side of your body, and only present in the areas where the sciatic nerve runs. It can start in your Lumbar Spine (lower spine), go through your buttocks, continue through the back of your thighs, down the back of your legs and into your feet and toes.
Slipped Disc: the main cause of Sciatica that we see in our Clinic. This occurs when the vertebral disc (soft tissue) that is positioned between your vertebrae presses on the sciatic nerve. This usually happens to people as they age, or perform heavy lifting. Although this is very common amongst any adult age group, some people have symptoms which is characterised by a shooting pain down the leg.
Spondylolisthesis: when one of the vertebrae has slipped out of position and is pushing down on the Sciatic nerve.
Spinal Stenosis: a narrowing of your spinal cord where the Sciatic Nerve passes through.
Inflammation or spasms: of the muscles in your pelvis or lower back.
If you fall into one of the below categories, or you are in a job such as a machine operator/ lorry driver/ carpenters, then you are at more risk of Sciatica.
Sporting Injuries: Rowing/ Javelin/ Golf
Stress & Anxiety
Being Tall: people who are tall and aged 50-60 are the most at risk
SLifestyle: smokers or inactive people are the most at risk
Family History: sciatica can run in families
Age: as you get older, your chances of having Sciatica increase
Being overweight
Our aim is to fix any issues early so;