Injuries Athletic Therapists Treat- A Monthly Series
Welcome to our monthly series!
Our goal is to share with YOU how Athletic Therapy can help you recover from common injuries you or a loved one may be experiencing. Each month will showcase and discuss a new condition athletic therapists see and treat each day
Enjoy!
Sciatica
If you have ever suffered from symptoms of sciatica then you know how much a pain in the butt, literally, it can be! But what exactly is sciatica? How long does sciatica last? And most importantly, how can I get rid of it?
Sciatica is one the most common forms of back pain and is a symptom of a medical problem, not a medical condition by itself. Sciatica is a term used to describe nerve pain, affecting the sciatic nerve, which is a large nerve extending from your lower back down the back of each leg. Sciatica pain happens because of irritation or compression on the affected nerve(s) root. There are various reasons why the nerve may be compressed or irritated, such as a herniated disc or bony spur.
Signs and symptoms can include:
- Pain anywhere along the nerve pathway (low back, glute, down the leg)
- Pain can vary from mild ache to burning, debilitating pain
- Pin and needles into leg or foot
- Numbness
- Shooting sensations
- Muscle weakness into the affected side
- Muscle spasms
Sciatica is common in men and more typically seen in middle aged adults in their 40-50’s, however can be seen in someone in their 20’s or 60’s and 70’s. A knowledgeable health care professional can diagnose sciatica and imaging such as X-rays and MRI’s are not recommended as they often don’t reveal the source of the problem.
Luckily, sciatica usually clears up with non-surgical conservative care. Pain medications should only be used for a short period of time at very low doses. It is important to not just rest and hope that it will go away. It is recommended starting an exercise program once the worst of the pain recedes and staying on it even if the condition appears to go away.
Sciatica usually resolves over time, although there are unique cases that can go on for longer. For some, the pain of sciatica may never go away completely, which is sometimes hard for people to accept. A more realistic goal is to improve quality of life by retaining mobility and remaining active.
Please note, it is important to get immediate medical care for:
- Sudden, severe pain in the low back or a leg and numbness or muscle weakness in a leg
- Pain after a violent injury, such as a traffic accident
- Trouble controlling bowels or bladder
- pain or numbness in the groin or “saddle area,”
Think you’re suffering with sciatica? Seeing a back pain expert like an athletic therapist to get properly diagnosed and on your way to recovery with an individualized treatment plan that is tailored to YOU is the way you want to go. Book a FREE 30min Discovery Visit with us today by going to: https://okanaganathletictherapy.com/free-discovery-visit/ to see how we can help!