Osteopathic Relief For Sciatica Pain

Sciatica, Cause and Treatments

The sciatica nerve is the widest and longest nerve fiber in the human body. If it gets irritated, pinched or inflamed it can cause severe pain for the patient. The sciatica nerve is located at the lower back around the same height as the hip. It goes straight down from the buttocks to the legs and the foot, so symptoms can be felt anywhere along its course. This nerve is collects and transmits electrical signals from the brain to the lower parts of the human body. You may experience pain, tingling, numbness or weakness of the leg. Symptoms can range from mild to severe pain and can last from just a few days to several weeks and longer. Sarah offers specialized osteopathic sciatica treatments for patients who prefer not to use drugs.

Sciatica pain can hit anyone at any time, but it usually starts later in life. It can often resolve itself and go away without any treatment or medication at all. But this is not always the case. In those cases where the pain persists there are several options available.

The Cause

Sciatica is a common type of back pain and occurs when pressure is applied to the sciatic nerve causing irritation. The cause is not always immediately clear, however it is thought that a ‘slipped’ disc is the major cause and muscle tightness can also contribute. People who suffer from Sciatica often report leg pain which is often much worse than the discomfort experienced in the back. In fact many people deny any back pain at all.

Treatment

With our hands-on holistic approach we help our patients speed up the healing process of the body and relieve their pain and discomfort. If you’re at a point where you don’t know what else to do or try to get relief, let us help you get back on your feet and enjoy life again.

There are many ways to treat and relieve sciatica pain. Most patients start by taking medication, both prescription or non-prescription. The more popular being pain relievers and muscle relaxants but in more severe cases can also include steroidal and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. The downside is that long term use of drugs, all drugs, can have side effects. On top of that, the pain only goes away while the medication is active. The relief is usually only temporary.

Most musculo-skeletal and nerve pains and aches can be treated with massage therapy. Osteopathic massage is completely natural and non-invasive so it is an obvious choice for many patients. Lower back pain can be debilitating and sciatica affects the patient's lower back, hip, and leg but osteopathy can help bring gradual and long lasting relief without the invasiveness of surgery. Luckily for patients, in most cases only one leg (side) is affected.