Sciatica can be pretty debilitating and interrupt your daily life. Sciatic pain could worsen and lead to more severe physical problems if left untreated. Patients should seek a proper diagnosis from a doctor or physiotherapist to understand the underlying causes of this debilitating back condition before considering the best treatment options. This article will discuss how physiotherapy can alleviate sciatica and help you deal with your severe sciatic symptoms quickly.
What Is Sciatic Nerve Pain?
Sciatica is the sciatic nerve irritation that originates in your lower back and moves down the leg(s) to innervate these muscles. Sciatica usually causes shooting or burning sensations in one leg or both legs. The cause of sciatica varies, but it can be due to the following common reasons:
- Herniated disc
- Spinal stenosis (excessive narrowing of the spinal canal
- Muscle tightness
- Tumours
- Degenerative disc disease
- Inflammation around the nerve
- Piriformis syndrome (irritation of piriformis muscle)
Physiotherapy Treatment Options for Sciatica and Lower Back Pain
It can be hard to know where to start when trying to treat sciatica. Patients searching the internet may find many different ways to treat sciatica that provide pain relief; some are better than others. But, a physiotherapy treatment regimen is evidence-based and clinically proven to work. A Physiotherapist’s job is to help patients manage acute or chronic sciatica pain by reducing the pain and pressure put on the lower spine, buttock area, nerve, and affected leg.
Some of the common physiotherapy treatments that can relieve sciatica:
Massage Therapy Alleviates muscle tightness around the affected area providing relief in the lower back area. Mechanical Traction Helps reduce the pressure on the sciatic nerve providing quick relief. Manual Therapy Reduces acute pain and stiffness, increases spine mobility, and improves the overall quality of life for those living with sciatica. Strength and Stabilising Exercises Strengthening the back and core can dramatically decrease and prevent sciatica.
How to Prevent Sciatica
If you have ever experienced sciatica, you may have wondered if there was anything you could have done to prevent this injury from happening in the first place. Although physiotherapy can eliminate sciatica by reducing inflammation, muscle tension, leg pain, and increasing range of motion, it’s always better to prevent sciatica from happening in the first place. Some things you can do to prevent sciatica/reduce sciatica pain includes:
- Avoiding prolonged standing or sitting to encourage proper blood circulation
- Lifting heavy objects appropriately or avoiding them altogether
- Maintaining a proper posture
- Maintaining optimal body weight prevents pressure on the spine and abdominal muscles.
- Doing regular core strengthening exercises, stretching exercises, and massage therapy to soothe and strengthen muscles
Consult a Physiotherapist for Effective Sciatica Pain Relief
Sciatica is a severe condition that can leave you in pain and prevent you from living the life you want. Luckily, physiotherapy can alleviate sciatica pain. At We-Fix-U Physiotherapy and Foot Health Centre Inc., our physiotherapists in Bowmanville are rehabilitation professionals in successfully treating sciatica and relieving your pain. We offer a combination of manual therapy, acupuncture, laser therapy, rehabilitation services, and physiotherapy in Peterborough, Oshawa, Bowmanville, Cobourg, and Port Hope that may improve your condition if you have sciatica. Visit our website for more information, or book an appointment with one of our rehabilitation professionals.
