Sciatica

Could you be suffering from Sciatica?

Do you suffer from pain in the lower back that runs down to the buttock, leg and even into the feet? Does

the pain feel sharp, shooting or burning? Do you sometimes notice tingling, numbness or even

weakness? It may be that you are suffering from Sciatica.

What is sciatica?

True Sciatica occurs when the sciatic nerve, which runs from the lower back down to your feet becomes

irritated or compressed. The most common causes of sciatica include:

A herniated disc where the soft tissue disc between the joints of the spine starts to push out and

affect the nerve

Spinal stenosis, a narrowing of the space in between the joints of the spine where the nerves run

through

Misalignment/spondylolisthesis of a spinal bone that moves out of its normal position putting

pressure on the nerve

Other conditions can cause sciatic like symptoms such as:

Pain referring from the muscles in the lower back/buttock such as the piriformis muscle

Irritation of the joints in the lower back.

Risk factors for Sciatica include

Sitting for prolonged periods

Occupations that involve heavy lifting/twisting

Age can cause age related changes such as stenosis and disc degeneration

Being overweight

Treatment

The first thing is to discover the cause of your symptoms as this will guide the treatment recommended.

A physical exam involving muscle, reflex and orthopaedic testing can reveal what may be causing your

symptoms. If needed, imaging such as an X-ray or MRI may be utilised to see exactly what is going on

within the spine and surrounding tissues. Treatment may include:

Stretching/strengthening exercises

Spinal adjustment

Ice