What REALLY is Sciatica?

Sciatica refers to pain that radiates from the back, deep into the buttock and down into  the back of the leg. This is generally caused by compression and irritation to the sciatic  nerve. Sciatica generally develops over time due to repetitive postures or physical  activity; for example individuals who do a lot of sitting are at greater risk.

FEATURES OF SCIATICA:

• Pain- is generally described as a sharp shooting pain or burning sensation deep into the  buttock that can travel down into the leg and foot. Pay attention to the ache in your  lower back or buttock which may be early warning signs.
• Numbness- people often also experience numbness and tingling down the back of the  leg. Because the nerve is affected there may also be weakness in the muscles of the  leg.
• Posture Induced: You may find that positions when the spine is flexed to worsen  symptoms i.e. sitting/driving, bending forward, sleeping
• One Sided: Sciatica generally only affects one side/leg at a time. Rarely does it occur in  both.

SCIATICA AS A SYMPTOM:

Sciatica is a symptom however there are many medical conditions that cause sciatica  including a herniated disc, lumbar stenosis, piriformis syndrome to list a few of the most  common. Ultimately when you experience radiating symptoms into the buttock or down  the leg it is coming from your lumbar spine.

TREATMENT:

Physical therapy has shown to be very effective in treating symptoms of sciatica.  Exercises based around flexibility of the hip musculature, spinal mobility, postural  strength and core and gluteal strengthening are proven to be very effective in treating  sciatica. Let one of our physical therapists here at Comprehensive Physical Therapy  determine the cause of your pain and establish a treatment plan around you. Give us a  call at 985-272-1017 and we can set up an evaluation!

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