Sciatic Nerve Pain - a real pain in the butt! (True Story)
So, I’ve had a problem with my sciatic nerve - it took me a good few years to figure out what to do about it, and the solution has left me feeling quite impressed.
www.scientificanimations.com/, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
When it first arose, it was a problem in the arch of my foot and a vague feeling in my hamstring and buttock. So I tried, taping my foot where the main initial pain was. No change. Then I tried physio from a workmate. No change. Gradually over the next few years I went through a logical progression of steps, hoping that each one would miraculously remove this annoying problem. No change. Over the years this has been a problem, the symptoms worsened and the list of failed treatments grew. And frustration grew. 😞 But, eventually I stopped, took stock and focused on doing exactly what my body needed. And hooray, solutions have emerged. Focusing on restoring whole body function means the sciatic nerve is no longer angry. And life is much easier again 🥳
🏎️Let my experience solve your problem(s) faster and easier
My experience now helps others who experience difficulties. Surprisingly for me, I have been forced to move beyond just the simple, common solutions in directions not anticipated. No one thing helped. Taking care to learn about the real cause helped. Patience and perseverance definitely helped. No one thing solved this problem but the better my whole body functions, the better my sciatic symptoms are. And the easier day to day life is again.
❔What is it?
Sciatica is a pain in the glute, sometimes extending down into the back of the upper thigh. Due to the sciatic nerves innervation to the skin and muscles of the leg, symptoms can extend down into the foot. It tends to affect just one side.
Health navigator (other typical information about sciatica).
🙂Why you should be optimistic
The vast majority of musculoskeletal problems respond really well to the right treatment. Sciatic nerve pain is extremely common and there are numerous strategies to deal with this. A thorough treatment plan will look at your specific situation and tailor a solution. And when your whole body works well, your nervous system works well (including your sciatic nerve).
🦵Sciatic Nerve Anatomy
The sciatic nerve is the longest and widest nerve in the human body (which means there are more potential sites that can be problematic and affect this nerve).
🔢Multiple contributing factors for sciatic nerve pain
Medical research often has a simplistic view focusing on lumbar disc prolapse or herniation (“bulges”) with nerve root irritation as the main cause of sciatica. Clinically though, I see that there are more likely to be imbalances in the pelvic girdle muscles which can affect the sciatic nerve contributing to the sciatic nerve pain. Couple this with various dysfunctions in your body, and the sciatic nerve can become very irritated (and take time to recover).
There tend to be 4 key areas that can contribute to your symptoms. During your consultation, I will assess to find out which one or ones could be contributing to your problem. And then we will work through their solutions.
🧪Ruling out neurological deficit (prevent nasty long-term effects)
At Vigeo, screening for neurological deficits is vital. Finding serious neurological symptoms is infrequent but essential to be addressed by doing so, then we can focus on looking at what in your body is causing the problem - and then take action to solve the problem.
🔎Finding postural causes for sciatic nerve overload
Your body has an optimal design - when your body is in alignment and has appropriate/effective muscle function your sciatic nerve functions appropriately and life is easier. When you have dysfunction or compensation(s), the sciatic nerve can be affected. Your postural assessment shows how your body isn’t optimal (i.e. where postural deviations occur). The postural deviations can demonstrate how your sciatic nerve is impacted and explain your symptoms.
🪡 Tailored treatment for your sciatic pain
Depending on the findings from your consultation(s), we take action to restore your optimal body function and relieve the pressure/irritation of your sciatic nerve and to improve muscle balance so that there is less muscle tension affecting the sciatic nerve. There are a number of useful direct techniques (manual therapy and other supportive physiotherapy techniques & approaches) as well as exercise-based postural therapy techniques to alleviate the dysfunction & compensations.
Your solution will be tailored for your situation and interests in order to provide you with the very best way to overcome your pain.
🕗Recovery time (as long as it needs)
The time it takes to resolve varies per person - like a classic car with a small area requiring restoration vs one that needs a complete overhaul. By helping your body find a comfortable position (or positions) initially, your symptoms can be relieved - but rehabilitation for complete symptom relief takes as long as your body needs. Every situation is individual.
📅Take your best step towards overcoming your sciatic nerve problem today. Book an appointment at Vigeo Physio.
