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- June 19, 2022
IS YOUR SCIATICA PAIN SO BAD YOU CAN’T WALK? LEARN WHAT CAUSES SCIATICA BUTTOCK PAIN AND HOW TO GET SCIATIC NERVE PAIN RELIEF AT NIGHT.
Sciatica is a term that is used a lot, for many different, but similar, conditions. But what is sciatica? What causes sciatica? And what can be done to relieve sciatic pain that can stop you from doing everyday things – even sleeping or walking properly?
WHAT IS SCIATICA?
Sciatica is irritation or injury to the sciatic nerve – nerve roots that begin in your back and come together as a large nerve as it passes through the pelvis and thigh. Along the way it branches off and innervates the lower extremity, from the back to the toes. This is why you can have sciatica pain from your lower back, all the way to your foot and everywhere in between. It can be painful and debilitating. It often leaves people unable to move around without worsening their symptoms and sometimes leads to so much pain that they are unable to walk.
WHAT CAUSES SCIATICA?
Sciatica pain is caused by an irritation, inflammation, pinching or compression of a nerve in the lower back. The most common cause of this irritation is a herniated disc, which puts pressure on the nerve root. Another cause of sciatica can the narrowing of the discs as they age, or because of arthritis that limits the amount of space around the nerve roots. Piriformis syndrome – a condition that occurs when a muscle deep in the glute called the piriformis muscle spasms – can also cause sciatica, but it is much less common.
WHAT HAPPENS ONCE SCIATICA BEGINS TO SET IN?
If you have sciatica pain, you may experience mild to severe discomfort anywhere along the path of the sciatic nerve, which includes everything from the lower back, through the hips, buttocks, or down your legs. It can also cause muscle weakness in your leg and foot, numbness in your leg, or a tingling pins-and-needles sensation in your leg, foot, and toes.
WHAT CAN YOU DO TO TREAT SCIATICA?
As mentioned above, sciatica can begin with different root causes. When you are treating sciatic nerve pain, it is helpful to know what that root cause is so that you can start with the proper treatment right away and avoid weeks of pain and frustration doing things that aren’t right for your particular injury or condition.
If you know the root cause of your pain, here are three examples of ways you can treat sciatica at home today. These are all tips, advice, or exercises that we use regularly in the clinic to help people get that sciatic nerve pain relief they are looking for. These can be especially helpful if you mainly have sciatica with walking or when trying to sleep.
1) TREAT SCIATICA BY SUPPORTING YOUR BACK AND HIPS
To relieve pressure on the sciatic nerve, one of the easiest things to fix right away is to make sure you are in an optimal posture when seated or sleeping. When sitting in an office chair, on the couch, or in your car, our backs tend to flatten out in the lower part of our spine. This puts pressure on the sciatic nerve roots and can lead to slower healing times or even worsening sciatica. To keep your back closer to the natural curvature and position, a lumbar roll can be used. I lumbar roll is a 3 to 4 inch foam roll that gently supports the low back while you are seated. It’s meant to be kept in the small of your back with some pressure by keeping your upper back against the back rest.
To support your hips and keep proper lumbar spine alignment, try using a pillow between your legs while sleeping on your side. This will keep your body in a more neutral position and avoid adding pressure to an already irritated sciatic nerve.
2) TREAT SCIATICA BY KEEPING MOVING
IT CAN BE DIFFICULT TO FEEL LIKE GETTING UP AND MOVING WHEN YOU ARE EXPERIENCING SCIATICA SYMPTOMS. THE PROBLEM IS THAT TOO MUCH REST, ESPECIALLY IN BAD POSTURES, CAN KEEP THE SCIATIC NERVE IRRITATED FOR LONGER OR EVEN EXACERBATE YOUR SYMPTOMS.
See if you can find a movement that causes relatively little discomfort and use that activity to encourage mobility in your back, hips, and leg. Some common examples of movement that may be tolerated better include: riding a stationary bike, going for short walks, or swimming. The best strategy is to start slow and build up the level of activity within your tolerance. Don’t try to do the same length of time or level of intensity you would do before sciatica pain set in. This will only lead to increased pain and frustration from lack of progress.
3) TREAT SCIATICA BY STRETCHING (WHEN APPROPRIATE)
EVEN THOUGH THE INCIDENCE OF SCIATIC NERVE PAIN FROM PIRIFORMIS SYNDROME IS LOWER THAN FOR OTHER CAUSES, WHEN IT IS THE CAUSE, KNOWING THE PROPER STRETCHES CAN BE VERY EFFECTIVE. USUALLY, STRETCHES THAT TARGET THE HIPS (LIKE BRINGING YOUR KNEE TO YOUR OPPOSITE SHOULDER OR DOING A FIGURE 4 STRETCH WHILE SEATED IN A CHAIR) WILL YIELD THE BEST RESULTS.
HOW PHYSIOTHERAPY AND MASSAGE CAN HELP TREAT SCIATICA
To properly treat sciatica and give yourself the best chance to get sciatic nerve pain relief faster, it is important to have an understanding of the underlying causes of your current condition. The fastest way to get to the bottom of what is going on and determine the root cause of sciatica, is to be fully assessed by a physiotherapist.
If you’d like to get started right away on relieving your sciatica, you can call to book an assessment at 476-9769.
If you’d like to learn more about how we can help or you’re unsure if physiotherapy is right for you, you can arrange a Discovery Visit to speak to one of our physiotherapists one-on-one FOR FREE to make sure we’re a good fit. We also offer a limited number of Telephone Consultations with our team if you would prefer to learn more from the comfort of your own home.
OTHER FREE RESOURCES FOR BACK PAIN AND SCIATIC PAIN
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