The more you know about sciatica, a form of pain in the body, the more confident you can be to address it and reclaim your life. In this helpful guide, we’ll review the symptoms of sciatica, what causes it, and the treatments you can explore with the help of a healthcare professional.
What Is Sciatica? Understanding the Basics
Sciatica is a type of pain that radiates along the longest nerve in your body, the sciatic nerve. Often caused by spinal stenosis, a herniated disc, and similar conditions, the pain typically travels from your lower back through to your buttocks and down through your leg.
How Sciatica Affects the Lower Back, Hips, and Legs
Everyone’s experience with sciatica is different, but most people feel significant pain and discomfort in the lower back, hips, buttocks, legs, and even feet.
In the lower back, you can feel a sharp pain or dull ache in the lower back, where the sciatic nerve roots are compressed. This pain typically worsens with strain or movement. The pain then moves into the buttocks, which can feel like a deep or burning sensation. Some people describe sciatic pain in the buttocks as a ‘jolt’ or electric shock.
As the pain travels down the back of the legs, it can reach the calf and sole of the foot, where it can cause symptoms that worsen with prolonged sitting, bending forward, sneezing, and coughing.
Who Is Most at Risk for Sciatica?
Age is a significant risk factor for sciatica. As a result, this uncomfortable condition affects millions of people. We can experience wear and tear in our lower back, resulting in disc herniations. However, young people can also experience sciatica. It’s also common in pregnant people due to the stress the baby places on the joints of the lower back.
Common Symptoms of Sciatica
There are many key symptoms that most people with sciatica experience:
Radiating Leg Pain
Sharp, shooting, and burning pain beginning in the lower back or buttocks area and radiating down the thigh and into the calf and foot is common.
Numbness, Tingling, Weakness, and Burning Sensations
Alongside radiating leg pain, you may also experience a pins-and-needles feeling or a loss of feeling in the buttocks, leg, and foot area. Some people have difficulty lifting their foot due to weakness in the affected leg.
When Sciatica Becomes a Medical Urgency
While millions of people experience sciatica each year, there are times when it’s crucial to seek out sciatica treatment and diagnostic imaging.
If self-care doesn’t help after a week, or the pain is severe, persistent, or worsening, contact a healthcare professional to schedule physical therapy for sciatica. Your chosen physio can also perform a diagnostic test before providing lower back pain treatment.
What Causes Sciatica? Top Conditions to Know
Several conditions and factors can cause sciatica, and some are more well-known than others:
Herniated or Bulging Discs
In people under 40, herniated or bulging discs are the most common cause of sciatica. This happens when the soft inner core of a spinal disc penetrates a tear in the outer layer and presses on a sciatic nerve root.
Spinal Stenosis and Degenerative Spine Changes
As we get older, we can become more at risk of sciatica due to spinal stenosis and degenerative spine changes. This is when the spinal canal and nerve root canals narrow, putting pressure on the nerves. In most cases, it’s caused by age-related wear and tear, thickened ligaments, and bone spurs.
Piriformis Syndrome and Muscular Causes
Piriformis syndrome is a neuromuscular condition involving the piriformis muscle in the buttocks. When it’s overused, strained, subjected to prolonged sitting, or involved in trauma, it can begin to spasm. When it does, it irritates or compresses the sciatic nerve, causing symptoms such as pain, numbness, and tingling.
Other muscular causes of sciatica that require lower back pain treatment include generalized muscle spasms in the gluteal or lower back muscles, which can compress the sciatic nerve, and gluteus maximus weakness, which can cause nerve irritation. This occurs when the gluteus maximus is underperforming, causing the piriformis to overcompensate.
Diagnostic Imaging Near Me: When Advanced Tests Are Needed
In most cases of sciatica, diagnostic imaging is not normally needed in the first few weeks. You can simply visit a physio to receive sciatica treatment. However, most physios recommend diagnostic tests when you’re experiencing red flag symptoms, such as progressive neurological deficits and persistent pain that won’t go away, despite weeks of sciatica treatment.
How Sciatica Is Diagnosed
Diagnosing sciatica can be a multi-step process with a trusted physiotherapist.
Physical Exam and Movement Assessment
The first part of the process involves your physio evaluating your medical history and symptoms before performing a physical examination. This helps identify areas of pain, assess neurological function, and evaluate your range of motion. Sometimes, physios also perform ‘tests’ such as the straight-leg raise test to see if the sciatic nerve is irritated.
Imaging to Confirm the Source of Pain
After a physical exam, diagnostic imaging can be relied upon to confirm the source of the pain. Physios rely on MRI or CT scans to visualize the spine and identify areas of nerve compression, such as a bone spur or herniated disc.
When Nerve Studies May Be Necessary
In some cases, physios may need to request an additional diagnostic test, electromyography (EMG), which measures muscle and nerve electrical activity. This is often required when symptoms persist, are unclear, or are severe.
Most Effective Sciatica Treatments
The most effective sciatica treatmentsdepend on the severity of your sciatica, the cause, and other factors. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to treatment!
Targeted Physical Therapy for Sciatica Relief
Many people find that physiotherapy is an effective non-surgical treatment option for reducing sciatic nerve pressure, improving flexibility, and strengthening muscles.
Pain Management Options for Sciatica
You may be able to manage pain and inflammation with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), pain relievers, and muscle relaxers.
When to Use Imaging-Guided Epidural Steroid Injections
In cases where pain is extreme and relief is limited, your physiotherapist may recommend imaging-guided epidural steroid injections. These may provide pain relief by reducing inflammation around the irritated nerve.
MLS Laser Therapy and Other Modern Pain-Relief Tools
More recently, people experiencing extreme pain and discomfort from sciatica have explored MLSⓇ laser therapy. It’s an advanced laser technology that eliminates pain and reduces inflammation using dual wavelengths of infrared light. Infrared light penetrates tissue to stimulate cellular regeneration.
In addition to MLS laser therapy, alternative therapies may be effective, including acupuncture, chiropractic care, and massage therapy.
Advanced Sciatica Relief Options for Chronic Cases
Traditional physical therapy techniques aren’t always enough to alleviate pain and discomfort. In chronic cases, health professionals can explore more advanced sciatica treatment options:
PRP Injections for Disc and Soft-Tissue Healing
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections use your own platelets to accelerate the healing of injured ligaments, muscles, tendons, and joints. Platelet-rich plasma is injected directly into the disc, helping many patients reduce pain and improve function. Studies show that PRP injection therapy has a positive effect on nerve repair.
Nerve Blocks for Severe Pain Relief
When nothing seems to alleviate your pain and discomfort, talk to your healthcare professional about nerve blocks. A peripheral nerve block is an advanced pain management technique in which an anesthetic is injected near a nerve to block pain in that area. Most people experience near-immediate relief after a nerve block, but the full effects may not be felt for a few days.
Spinal Cord Stimulation for Chronic Sciatica
Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is a proven treatment option for back pain and chronic sciatica. It involves implanting a device that delivers electrical impulses to the spinal cord to manage chronic pain. It’s regularly used for failed back surgery syndrome, complex regional pain syndrome, neuropathic pain, and chronic back and leg pain.
Peripheral Nerve Stimulation for Ongoing Nerve Pain
Peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS) is an advanced treatment for persistent nerve pain. Described as cutting-edge, it relies on electrical impulses to target peripheral nerves and manage chronic pain. It’s minimally invasive and delivers substantial pain relief for people who have nerve pain that hasn’t responded well to other treatment options.
Preventing Sciatica Flare-Ups: Lifestyle Tips
Sciatic pain can seem unavoidable, but these lifestyle tips may prevent flare-ups:
Daily Mobility and Stretching Routines
Combine gentle mobility with specific stretches to relieve nerve pressure and strengthen your core and glute muscles. A number of exercises can be worth discussing with your physio, including:
- Knee-to-chest stretch
- Figure-4 piriformis stretch
- Standing hamstring stretch
- Cat-Cow flow
- Sciatic nerve glide
- Bird-dog
- Pelvic tilts
- Glute bridges
You may also try low-impact exercises, such as walking and swimming. Avoid heavy lifting, twisting, and deep forward bends.
Improving Posture and Ergonomics at Work
As you head to the office, consider how you can improve your posture and ergonomics to prevent a sciatica flare-up.
- Maintain a neutral spine to reduce strain on the lower back
- Avoid slouching, as it puts pressure on the lumbar discs
- Engage your core muscles to stabilize your spine
Strengthening the Core to Reduce Future Pain
Strengthening your core offers several benefits, including reducing pressure on the sciatic nerve, improving posture, and enhancing spinal stability.
Some great exercises to strengthen your core are:
- Plank
- Bridge
- Bird-dog
- Pelvic tilt
- Clamshell
Always discuss new exercises and stretches with a trusted healthcare professional before proceeding.
When to See a Sciatica Specialist
While self-care can go a long way toward preventing sciatica flare-ups, it doesn’t work for everyone. There will be times you need ot explore physical therapy for sciatica to experience relief.
Signs You Need Professional Help
Now is the right time to receive sciatica treatment and diagnostic imaging if:
- Your pain is severe
- Your pain is worsening
- Your pain is disrupting your life
- You have weakness or numbness in your leg
- You have difficulty moving your foot
- You have trouble controlling your bladder or bowels
How Eclipse Clinic Creates Personalized Sciatica Relief Plans
Here at Eclipse Clinic, we specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of sciatica. With a comprehensive approach featuring medical and non-surgical treatments, we aim to alleviate pain and improve function.
When you schedule your appointment, we’ll conduct a detailed patient interview to develop a personalized sciatica relief plan with tailored treatment options.
Schedule a Visit to Start Your Sciatica Recovery
Do you require sciatica treatment to relieve pain and inflammation? Schedule an appointment with our experienced team today. We’re committed to using the latest technologies and techniques to ensure the best possible outcome.