If you’re struggling with sciatica, you know how disruptive it can be. Living with sharp, shooting pain throughout your leg makes it difficult to do the things you need and want to do in your day-to-day life. But help is available! Today, we want to share what happened when a recent patient underwent physiotherapy for sciatica treatment.
Meet The Patient and His Symptoms
Jason was in his mid-forties when he began experiencing unusual symptoms in his right leg–namely, radiating pain, numbness, and tingling. As an office manager, he spent a lot of time sitting in front of his computer and noticed his symptoms worsened the longer he sat. Unfortunately, prolonged standing didn’t help much either, and he frequently shifted his position, trying to get comfortable.
He also experienced minor pain in his lower back, although it was nothing compared to this persistent leg discomfort. Sometimes, he even felt a pins-and-needles sensation in his right foot and toes.
Eventually, Jason knew he needed to take action. His symptoms interfered with his daily life, preventing him from walking his dog and completing chores around the house. He made an appointment with Ability Physiotherapy.
How We Determined Jason Had Sciatica (And a Herniated Disc)
At Jason’s first visit to our clinic, his physiotherapist took him through an in-depth evaluation to determine what was happening. We took a complete health history and reviewed Jason’s symptoms. By that point, we suspected sciatica, but we ran a few simple movement screens and recommended he get diagnostic testing to be sure.
The thing about sciatica (opens in a new tab) is that it’s not really a condition in and of itself. Rather, it’s a name given to the symptoms that arise when your sciatic nerve root is irritated in some way. The sciatic nerve is the longest nerve in the body, running from its root in the lower back down through the buttocks and into each leg, which is why Jason experienced his symptoms there.
For physiotherapy for sciatica treatment to have the best outcomes, we needed to determine what was pressing on Jason’s sciatic nerve root. That way, we could address his pain at the source rather than simply treating his symptoms. Fortunately, our comprehensive evaluation had an answer for that as well: a herniated disc.
Herniated discs (opens in a new tab) occur when the soft, cushiony discs between the spinal vertebrae rupture or bulge outward. If that disc then irritates the nerve root block, sciatica can develop. In fact, most cases of sciatica stem from a herniated disc.
Now that we knew the cause of Jason’s symptoms, it was time to begin treatment.
Physiotherapy for Sciatica Treatment
In Jason’s case, treating his sciatica involved treating his herniated disc. We developed a personalized treatment focused on resolving his current condition and helping him prevent a future occurrence.
We began with hands-on manual therapy techniques designed to reduce his pain and promote blood flow to his lower back, helping to facilitate his body’s natural healing processes. We also utilized some pain-relieving modalities, such as heat therapy and electrical stimulation, to further help him manage his pain.
However, the foundation of Jason’s treatment program was targeted exercises. By strengthening his back and core muscles, Jason could relieve pressure on his lower spine–and thus, ease pressure on his sciatic nerve root. These exercises would also help him long-term in preventing another herniated disc, as his sedentary job puts him at a higher risk.
After several sessions of physiotherapy for sciatic treatment, Jason’s symptoms had largely disappeared. Our last order of business was going over some additional prevention strategies with him, namely, continuing his exercises and suggesting frequent breaks to minimize the effects of prolonged sitting.
In Need of Sciatica Treatment? Try Physiotherapy!
We hope Jason’s story gives you insight into how physiotherapy can help address sciatica. If you’re dealing with uncomfortable symptoms like sharp, shooting leg pain, numbness, or tingling, schedule an appointment with Ability Physiotherapy today. We’ll help you get to the bottom of your discomfort and find a solution that meets your needs.
