‘Sciatica’ - does it always come from the lower back?
The term sciatica is broadly used to describe radicular pain often caused by compression of the sciatic nerve, we commonly see compression of neurological structures because of discal injuries which protrude onto the nerve roots in the lower back, space-occupying lesions, and traumatic injuries such as spondylolisthesis. But does this pain always come from the lower back? Let's discuss lower back pain and its causes in this blog.
Piriformis syndrome is a painful injury, characterized by a combination of symptoms including buttock or hip pain, referred pain down the back of the thigh, the feeling of electric shock-like pain, numbness, tingling, difficulty walking, sitting, and standing.
It is thought that abnormal dysfunction of the piriformis muscle brought on by trauma, muscle hypertrophy, and prolonged sitting causes compression of the sciatic nerve around the buttock. Females are disproportionately affected 6:1 – it is thought due to differing pelvic anatomy.
What can we do as Chiropractors?
A complete neurological history and physical assessment are important to obtain an accurate diagnosis, we then work backwards to reduce pain, provide reassurance, and educate the patient on important lifestyle changes.
· Manual therapy
· Pelvic manipulation
· Soft tissue release
· Exercises and stretch programming
· Posture & lifestyle modifications
Send us a message if you need help with ‘sciatica’
Try these two exercises for ‘sciatica’ relief.
1) Piriformis Stretch
2) Sciatic nerve flossing
