Sciatica
What is sciatica? And what can I do about it?
Anyone who suffers or has suffered with sciatica will tell you how painful and limiting it can be. Unfortunately, it is a common condition with studies showing figures ranging from 13-40% of us experiencing it in our lifetime [NICE, 2020].
It describes symptoms radiating down from the lower back or buttock that can reach as far as below the knee and even into the foot. It is caused by inflammation or compression of a particular group of nerves in the lower back that group together to form the sciatic nerve. We have a pair of sciatic nerves, one down our left side and one down our right.
The symptoms experienced with sciatica can include pain, tingling, numbness, and loss of strength in the leg.
Risk factors for developing sciatica include occupational factors like strenuous activity or a very sedentary work life, obesity, and other underlying and related health issues.
The peak incidence of sciatica is found in people between 45-64 years of age, and 5-10% of people with lower back pain suffer with sciatica [Koes, 2007] [BMJ, 2021].
The recurrence of symptoms is common, and a proportion of people will suffer with symptoms for several months and even beyond a year, as follow-up studies have shown [NICE, 2020]. Symptoms can fluctuate over this time but there is no doubt sciatica can be a very difficult condition to manage and live with.
At CW Chiropractic, our approach of spinal manipulation (the chiropractic adjustment) and other manual therapy techniques, combined with specific exercises we provide, is shown to be beneficial against this condition.
So, if you’re currently experiencing sciatica and aren’t sure where to turn, speak to us today and learn more about how we can get your health to where you want it to be faster.
NICE (2020) Low back pain and sciatica in over 16s: assessment and management. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. http://www.nice.org.uk [Free Full-text]
Koes, B.W., van Tulder, M.W. and Peul, W.C. (2007) Diagnosis and treatment of sciatica. British Medical Journal 334(7607), 1313-1317.
BMJ (2021) Discogenic low back pain. BMJ Best Practice. https://bestpractice.bmj.com