03/11/2022
What is Sciatica?
Sciatica is the name used for a collection of symptoms that indicate an underlying medical condition that affects the sciatic nerve.
The sciatic nerve is the longest and widest nerve on the body, attaching to the lumbar spine, traveling deep through the buttocks and down the leg all the way to the feet. Any conditions that cause damage, trauma, or prolonged compression of this nerve can lead to pain.
What causes Sciatica??
Many different conditions can cause sciatic pain, including:
▪︎Degenerative disc disease,
▪︎Osteoporosis,
▪︎Injuries in the spinal column, such as herniated discs, a pinched nerve, or slipped discs,
▪︎Injury to the lumbar spine,
▪︎Muscle spasms,
▪︎Piriformis syndrome,
▪︎Spinal stenosis,
▪︎Spondylolisthesis,
▪︎In rare cases, tumors and severe infection,
What are the most common symptoms of sciatica?
People describe sciatica pain in different ways, depending on its cause. Some people describe the pain as sharp, shooting, or jolts of pain. Others describe this pain as “burning,” "electric” or “stabbing.”The pain may be constant or may come and go. Also, the pain is usually more severe in your leg compared to your lower back. The pain may feel worse if you sit or stand for long periods of time, when you stand up and when your twist your upper body. A forced and sudden body movement, like a cough or sneeze, can also make the pain worse
Can I prevent Sciatica?
Although it might not be possible to prevent all cases of sciatica, taking the following steps can help protect your back and reduce your risk:
Maintain good posture: Following good posture techniques while you’re sitting, standing, lifting objects and sleeping helps relieve pressure on your lower back
Don’t smoke: Ni****ne reduces the blood supply to bones. It weakens the spine and the vertebral disks, which puts more stress on the spine and disks and causes back and spine problems.
Maintain a healthy weight: Extra weight and a poor diet are associated with inflammation and pain throughout your body.
Exercise regularly: Exercise includes stretching to keep your joints flexible and exercises to strengthen your core – the muscles of your lower back and abdomen.
Choose physical activities least likely to hurt your back: Consider low-impact activities such as swimming, walking, yoga or tai chi.
The good news about sciatic pain is that it usually goes away on its own with time and some self-care treatments. Most people (80% to 90%) with sciatica get better without surgery, and about half of these recover from an episode fully within six weeks.
Can Bowen help with Sicatica symptoms?
Bowen therapy has proven highly effective in treating sciatica as it is a form of physical therapy for sciatica treatment. Bowen's form of physical therapy work to relax the nervous system as well as tense muscles, tendons and ligaments thereby allowing the pinched sciatic nerve to be released.
The Bowen technique is gentle, non-forceful and is not only effective at addressing the symptoms of sciatica, but has a whole host of other benefits too! This is because Bowen is holistic; it addresses your entire body, not only the sciatica.
Clients often only require a short course of treatments which can give long lasting and effective relief.
Book a treatment !
If you have exhausted the more common modalities of massage, osteopathy, and chiropractic, etc. It is time you try this gentle, non-forceful technique and feel the benefits from head to toe!
Call or text me if you would like more information/book a treatment.
Naomi : 089 222 5763
