Sciatica means pain along the course of the sciatic nerve. The pain may hit suddenly like a lightening bolt, or may be like an excruciating ache in your legs – either way sciatica is a painful experience that’s always down the back or slightly to the outside of the leg.
Unfortunately the term sciatica does not tell you what is causing that pain.
Sciatica is a general term describing pain from irritation or compression of the sciatic nerve. So it’s more of a description of where the pain is, not a diagnosis. Imagine saying you had foot pain – this piece of information wouldn’t explain whether you’d just stubbed your toe, or you’d just had your foot run over. It’s the same with sciatica – you have to have a diagnosis of the cause.
We uncover the underlying cause and work out, with your input, the best course of action.
Sometimes we recommend hands-on treatment and exercises, but if the pain is severe we might recommend some time on the IDD decompression machine.
Either way, we aim to get you back to your normal life again, so don’t panic about the pain – we’re here to help.
Many things can cause sciatica, including:
We know how to differentiate between all of the above. We know the medical tests, we know the questions to ask to get the right information so that we can make a diagnosis and treat the right area. And we know when to refer you for further investigations such as x-rays, MRI scans or surgery.
We’ll also give you a personal exercise programme to help maintain stability and strength of your back and core muscles.
Book your free 20 minute consultation now – we promise to listen to you.