HELP FOR SCIATICA AT STATE 11

Specialist help for sciatica and sciatic pain at State 11 Soft Tissue Therapy in Spalding, Lincolnshire.

Sciatic is a common, and painful, condition that will affect anywhere between 10% and 40% of people during their life. 

The sciatic nerve is the longest nerve in the body and runs from the lower back, through the buttock muscles and down the leg. There is a sciatic nerve in both the left and right leg.

Imagine it like this: multiple tiny nerve fibres exit the lower spinal cord and join together to make the sciatic nerve. This nerve goes through the gluteal muscles (the buttocks), down your thigh, and splits into two branches near the knee.
 

One of the branches is called the tibial nerve. The tibial nerve goes down the back of the calf and all the way to the sole of the foot.

The other branch is called the common perineal nerve. It goes down the front and side of the calf.

Sometimes, if the sciatic nerve gets irritated or hurt, you might feel something called sciatica. 
 

The main symptoms of sciatica are:

• A burning pain running down some or all of the sciatica nerve

• Electric shock feelings in the leg

• Pins and needles or tingling in the leg

• Coldness in the leg

• Numbness or muscle weakness in the leg

If you have sciatica symptoms also include numbness in the groin or between the legs, difficulties when defecating or urinating, or finding that you no longer have any urge to urinate, this could be a condition called Cauda Equina Syndrome.

Although rare, CES is a serious condition and you should seek emergency medical help by calling NHS 111 or 999 , mentioning symptoms and the possibility of Cauda Equina Syndrome.

What causes sciatica?

Sciatica is caused by irritation or compression of the sciatic nerve, and that can be caused in a name of ways – such as changes to the discs in the spine where the nerve fibres branch out.

Inflammation around the sciatic nerve can also cause problems, and this can happen without any changes to the spinal discs. It can be caused by hypertension in the muscles around the sciatic nerve – regardless of cause, the condition can be very painful. 

It’s most common in people in their forties and fifties, but it can affect anyone. There is no set progression for sciatica – some people recover quickly, whereas others can have the condition for months; research suggests around half the propel who have sciatica will have improved at three months, with three-quarters feeling better at 12 months. 

The pain varies from person to person and day to day, but it’s important to remember it’s rarely dangerous. 

Issues with the muscles in the low back, gluteals (the buttocks), thigh and calf can cause symptoms that mimic sciatica, but aren’t “true” sciatica, although these are often just as painful. 

How to manage sciatica and sciatica pain

There are options to manage sciatica or sciatica like pain, including allowing yourself time to recover, exercise and weight management.

Pain relief medication or even injections are also an option, and should be discussed with a GP or doctor. 

Manual therapy can also help with the pain and restricted movement that can come with sciatica.

At State 11, we use RAPID NeuroFascial Reset to help clients with sciatica, which means that although palpation occurs around the gluteal muscles and thigh, it’s not necessary for clothes to be removed.

What our clients think of their treatment at State 11 Soft Tissue Therapy: