Sciatica

Sciatica is just a symptom, but it’s quite a specific one. You can’t have it anywhere in the body except along the route of the sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve runs from the base of the spine, through the pelvis, then down the back of the thigh. It splits into two smaller nerves around the knee. One of these nerves continues down the back of the calf and into the sole, the other runs down the outside of the shin.

Symptoms of Sciatica

When a nerve is irritated like this, there are a few common symptoms:

• Pins and needles
• Numbness
• Weakness
• Pain, which may be dull or sharp and shooting

These symptoms will be located around the course of the nerve. You may not have them all, and they may not all be in the same place. It is possible for only a portion of the nerve to be affected. As the nerve calms down, symptoms tend to recede, with those furthest away disappearing first.

Causes of Sciatica

Compression of the nerve at any point can cause symptoms further down. So if your symptoms are focused around the calf, the nerve could be trapped anywhere from the knee up to the spine.

L4/5 or L5/S1 disc bulges

Sometimes one of the lowest discs in the spine can bulge and press on the sciatic nerve. Not all bulges will cause pain, and not all pain comes from disc bulges. If a disc is the cause of your pain, it’s a question of working out why that disc was overworked in the first place. Often there is another area of the spine that is stiff, and this has led to a strain elsewhere. Particularly for acutely painful lower backs, working further afield can be more comfortable in the short term and effective in long term management.

You can read more about discs here.

Piriformis Syndrome

A deep muscle in the buttock sits close to the sciatic nerve. For some people, the nerve actually runs through the muscle itself. Either way, tightness in this muscle (piriformis) can irritate the sciatic nerve.

Piriformis responds well to treatment and exercise. There are some very simple stretches that you can work into your day to keep the muscle happy and relieve the pressure on the nerve. These exercises may also be beneficial in preventing future episodes, or as first aid if you ever start to feel twinges again.

What can be done?

When you come for your appointment, you can expect your practitioner to take a detailed case history before anything else. You may even find at this point that your pain isn’t sciatica at all. There are other causes of thigh pain, and even a tight hamstring can mimic nerve pain quite convincingly.

Whether you have true sciatic pain or not, your osteopath will address both the symptoms and the cause. It is also important to understand that nerve pain is very dependent on psychology. This is not to say that you’re making it up or exaggerating. Positive beliefs about your pain and how it will progress are directly associated with improvement. Part of your osteopath’s job is to reassure and educate you, so don’t be afraid to ask questions.

Get your symptoms under control, book an appointment today.