October 22, 2018
Sciatica
Are you suffering from sciatica that radiates down your leg, making it difficult to walk or perform daily activities?
At Hatt’s, we understand the challenges posed by sciatica, and we are here to help you find lasting relief.
Our team of experienced healthcare professionals specialise in diagnosing and treating sciatica, tailoring our approach to meet your unique needs.
Are you:
- Experiencing a sharp, shooting, or searing pain that originates in your lower back or buttock and travels down one leg
- Suffering from leg pain that affects the back of your thigh, calf, and may even move down to your foot
- Feeling numbness and tingling or a pins-and-needles feeling in the affected leg or foot
- Having difficulty sitting or walking due to muscle weakness and aggravation of your sciatic nerve
- Noticing pain in your lower back which is less severe than your leg pain
Ready to take the first step toward pain free living and improved mobility? Book your appointment today and discover the difference expert physiotherapy can make in your life.
Start improving your health and movement today.
Sciatica treatments
Who does sciatica most commonly affect?
Sciatica can affect people of all ages but certain factors may increase the likelihood of experiencing sciatica. The condition most commonly affects adults between the ages of 30 and 60 years old, pregnant women, and individuals that spend a prolonged amount of time sitting or heavy lifting throughout the day.
What causes sciatica?
There are many different causes of sciatica including:
– A herniated or prolapsed disc (commonly known as ‘slipped disc’). Vertebral discs are found between each vertebrae in your spine. Although they are made of tough fibrous tissue, some of the softer centre can prolapse. If you have a prolapsed vertebral disc, its contents can protrude and compress on the sciatic nerve, or even just cause chemical irritation to the nerve. All of these can lead to sciatica.
– Piriformis syndrome. The piriformis is a muscle found deep in the buttock. In around 17% of the population, the sciatic nerve runs directly through the piriformis. If the piriformis becomes tight then this can compress the sciatic nerve causing sciatic tension and sciatica.
– Facet joint dysfunction. Each of the vertebrae in your spine is joined by facet joints (or zygapophyseal joints). A sudden excessive movement of the facet joint or years of constant micro trauma through poor posture or heavy lifting can lead to facet joint dysfunction. This can be a cause of radiating leg pain (sciatica).
Find out more about our treatment options that can help with back pain:
What to expect from the sciatica clinic at Hatt’s
Understand
We’ll start by understanding your medical history
Diagnose
We’ll then identify the cause of your sciatic pain and give you a clear diagnosis
Treat
You’ll receive hands on treatment to relieve any sharp, shooting pain
Plan
We’ll put together a personalised treatment plan to manage your sciatica
Support
You’ll receive ongoing support from our team to prevent the recurrence of sciatica