Sciatica

Sciatica is the name given to any sort of pain that is caused by irritation or compression of the sciatic nerve – which runs down the back of your thigh into the back of the knee where it splits into two branches and descends into the lower leg and foot.

Sciatic pain can vary widely, from mild, infrequent and irritating to severe, constant and debilitating. There are many different causes of sciatica. The most common ones are:

bulging disc or disc degeneration
spinal degeneration
poor spinal alignment or instability of the pelvis
muscle spasm, strain and inflammation, especially the piriformis muscle in the buttock.
postural strain i.e. pregnancy or wearing high heals, prolonged sitting, poor mattress.
Poor lifting technique and poor bending habits
Osteophytes (bone spurs)
Spinal compression due to osteoporosis

Since there are many causes of sciatica, your osteopaths’ first task is to determine the exact reason of your sciatic nerve irritation/pressure. The osteopath will begin with a thorough history, followed by spinal, orthopaedic and neurological examination. Additionally, special diagnostic investigations such X-ray, MRI or CT may be recommended.

As sciatica is due to pressure on the sciatic nerve, it is logical that treatment involves alleviation of the pressure by treating related tissue (whether it be muscles, joints, ligaments, tendons in the low back, buttock or leg) that is causing the pressure onto the sciatic nerve. Treatment is undertaken using a series of hands-on manual techniques tailored to each patient.

Our aims are to: