SCIATICA TREATMENTS IN BURNABY
Those who suffer from sciatica will often report pain, numbness and/or tingling sensations in the leg. If you have ever suffered from sciatica pain, you can understand that it can be extremely uncomfortable. Your sleep, mood and ability to perform daily activities can be severely impaired. With prompt sciatica treatments Burnaby, our Physiotherapists at EastWest can ease these symptoms quickly.
To understand Sciatica or Sciatic Nerve Pain, we need to understand the anatomy of the sciatic nerve.
The sciatic nerve is the largest and longest nerve in the body and is formed by 5 nerve roots in the lower back (lumbar 4, 5 and sacral 1, 2, and 3 nerve roots).
These nerve roots exit from their respective level in the low back and group together deep in the buttocks. From there, it forms a large single nerve that runs down the back of the leg and into the foot.
This nerve provides the necessary connection to your muscles to contract and allow movement. As well, it can provide feedback to your brain of different sensations (such as touch, temperature and pain) in your legs.
What Is Sciatica? What Is Sciatica Nerve Pain?
Because of the length, size and the amount of body parts the sciatic nerve travels through, the nerve can be irritated. This can be due to compression, over-stretching and/or traumatic injury (i.e. falling down or heavy lifting)
Sciatica (or sciatic nerve pain) results when the sciatic nerve becomes irritated. The pain may be different for each person. It can depend on the location and severity of the sciatic nerve irritation.
We Can Usually Determine If Sciatica And Sciatic Nerve Pain Is Present By:
The diagnosis is usually straightforward and can be done by our registered Physiotherapists. We will look at the clinical presentation and take a history of your condition. Then we will conduct a comprehensive physical exam to determine if it is an overuse injury. We may also refer to other medical specialists for further imaging and consultation.
- Taking a thorough history and performing a detailed physical examination
- It is important to note that sciatica and its associated nerve pain is a symptom of the condition, not a cause
Common Causes Of Sciatica Symptoms
Herniated Discs – The intervertebral disc located between each vertebra can be irritated (causing inflammation) or herniated (disc bulge). This condition can compress one (or a few) nerve root that forms the sciatic nerve. Depending on the nerve root, symptoms for sciatica nerve pain will be in a different part of the lower leg.
Degenerative Changes in the Spine – Spinal stenosis, spondylolisthesis (slipping of a vertebrae on another), osteoarthritis and other spinal conditions that irritate any nerve root can also cause symptoms of sciatica pain.
Piriformis Muscle – The piriformis is a muscle located deep in the hip where it can compress and irritate the sciatic nerve as it leaves the spine and travels through the buttocks.
Risk Factors For Sciatica (Koes et al. 2007)
- Age (peak 45-64 years)
- Risk increases with height
- Smoking
- Mental Stress
Occupation Factors
- Strenuous Physical activity - lifting while bending and twisting
- Driving, the vibration of the whole body
Symptoms Of Sciatic Nerve Pain
Indicators of Sciatica and Sciatic Nerve Pain :
- One-sided leg pain more than low back pain
- Pain radiating to foot/toes
- Numbness/tingling in the same distribution of pain
- The straight leg raise test produces more leg pain
- Positive neurological test on nerve root involved (testing of reflexes, myotomes, dermatomes)
Sciatica Treatments Burnaby - Our Approach
Once we have confirmed the sciatic nerve is affected and the potential nerve root(s) that may be involved, we can provide treatment for sciatica appropriately.
Sciatica Treatments will be focused on reducing the irritation and inflammation to the sciatic nerve root. Proper body positioning is crucial. These techniques are recommended based on the assessment and allow for proper rest and recovery of the nerve.
Research has shown that bed rest only does not result in faster recovery. In our experience, a combination of gentle exercises and activities interspersed with a few hours of bed rest between is optimal.
Other Sciatic Treatment Approaches We May Use Include:
Electrotherapy – Various electrostimulation currents to increase blood circulation, decrease inflammation and pain.
Acupuncture – helps the body relax and reduce tension, by relieving pain and promoting recovery by stimulating endorphins
Manual Therapy – Skilled use of our hands to gently release tension in muscles and joints to allow for better movement
If you are suffering from sciatica pain, contact our Burnaby Physiotherapy clinic to help get you better.
