What a Pain in the Butt!
by Dr. Joe Martin, PT, DPT, OCS
For the general population, "Sciatica" is the blanket term often referred to as any pain experienced in one or both legs.
This may or may not be true as the title Sciatica should be reserved for symptoms experienced throughout the actual Sciatic nerve distribution, the lower back, the butt, as well as the back portion of the thigh, lower leg, heel, and portions of the foot.
The Sciatic Nerve comes off of the Spinal cord at the very bottom of the lower back commonly referred to as Lumbosacral Plexus (multiple branches). From this origin, the Sciatic Nerve travels into the buttock where it pierces and can split through muscles and other soft tissues before it continues down through the thigh to the back of the knee where it branches off to become two separate nerves that service separate regions of the lower leg and foot.
Getting Rid of Sciatica Begins with Knowing the EXACT Cause.
3 Common Reasons We Experience Sciatica:
1.) Bulging or Herniated Discs:
Poor posture, excessive sitting, lifting episodes, or even a bad mattress can lead to bulging or even rupturing of disc material in our lower back which can create pressure on the Sciatic Nerve before it enters the buttock or the leg. When this happens, we can experience mild pain or even debilitating pain preventing us from accomplishing the most basic tasks like putting on our socks and shoes, driving, or walking.
2.) Nerve Entrapment:
Over a period of time, the Sciatic Nerve can become entrapped at one or more locations between the lower back and foot. This is typically the result of shortening or loss of flexibility in specific muscles or soft tissues through which the Sciatic Nerve travels. Continuous "pinching" or entrapment of the Sciatic Nerve can lead to persistent pain and even weakness in the muscles of which it serves.
3.) Neurotension:
The Sciatic Nerve is often touted as the longest Nerve in the human body and is intimately connected to soft tissues that run up and down the spine. There are times when tension develops throughout the various branches and extensions of this network and the result is pain in the muscles connected to the Sciatic Nerve.
How to determine what is causing your Sciatica and how to get rid of it?
First of all, taking medication to mask your symptoms will NOT address the primary cause of your pain or your inability to function.
1.) You need a skilled neuro-musculoskeletal examination performed by a Licensed Orthopedic Physical Therapist who can identify the exact cause of your symptoms. Dr. Joe and his team have don’t this for over 2 decades in CNY.
2.) Once the cause is identified, you can benefit from skilled manual therapy techniques that specifically target the exact cause. The importance of following through is critical not only for short term pain relief and restoration of mobility and function, but also for preventing this condition from happening again in the future or from becoming so severe that it leads to permanent nerve damage or a surgical procedure.
3.) Softwave-Shockwave therapy is an advanced technology with a US Patent for peripheral nerve regeneration and is often administered for Sciatica conditions to help heal it and keep it away for a very long time!