Presentation
Pain usually felt at the level of the buttock which refers to the foot. Sciatic nerve involvement can also cause lower back pain. It will often be perceived as pinching or burning in the buttock with a tingling sensation or numbness in the thigh, leg or foot. It is often confused with a sacroiliac syndrome (which also causes buttock pain but whose pain does not exceed the knee) or with myofascial gluteus muscle syndrome (also causing buttock pain but Does not follow the course of the nerve).
Causes
- Physical stress.
- Poor prolonged posture.
- Wrong move.
- Repeated trauma.
- Disc herniation (compressing the root of the sciatic nerve).
- Piriformis syndrome (muscle compressing the sciatic nerve).
- Focal nerve entrapment (nerve entrapment).
Treatments
- Ice and rest to reduce the intense pain.
- The vertebral manipulations make it possible to restore mobility to the joint and thus release the tension on the root of the nerve.
- Soft tissue work (Active Release Techniques and Graston).
- Nerve gliding technique.
- Stretching of the musculature involved.
- Strengthening the musculature involved with or without ultrasound.
- Postural correction and adaptation of lifestyle habits.
What Can Chiropractic Do?
Adequate treatment of any condition must involve the cause of the problem and not just the symptoms. Chiropractors are the only ones trained to diagnose and treat sciatica.
They will conduct a comprehensive review of your health history as well as a physical examination. Treatment may include chiropractic adjustments, exercises, corrections to your posture, lifestyle and behavior. The aim is to correct or improve the alignment and mobility of the vertebrae in order to allow the body to heal itself and relieve itself of nervous irritations.
Several patients with sciatica have been prescribed pain medication and prolonged bed rest. In fact, prolonged bed rest is often ineffective and may even worsen the condition. Medication, on the other hand, can temporarily alleviate, but does not address the cause of the problem. Chiropractic care provides safe and effective treatment for sciatica without medication or surgery
Prognosis
Varies greatly depending on the cause of the problem.
It will also be influenced by the duration of the condition before the first visit, the number of previous episodes and the intensity of the problem.
Although patients observe improvements following the first treatment, the condition may take from 4 to 12 weeks to resolve.