One of the most common reasons why people visit physiotherapists is for the back or hip pain, which is often associated with sciatica. Sciatica refers to leg pain that occurs when the sciatic nerve gets trapped and causes trouble in the lower back, hip, and leg. Since the nerve travels down the lower back from the buttocks to the backside of the legs, the person can feel acute pain and discomfort if something goes wrong there. The frequency of the pain can, however, vary. But it can be enough to create weakness and irritation in the body.
In this condition, the patient usually experiences pain only on one side, starting from the hip to the full leg. When it occurs, it can create numbness in the leg or foot, or cause sharp pain that prohibits your movement. The constant tingling and burning sensations can also be there in the leg. You may even face difficulty when you sit. Although it can be a troublesome experience, sciatica doesn’t usually involve severe tissue damage that stays permanently. Inflammation is the primary reason behind this pain, which can subside eventually. Since this pain happens due to inflamed or stressed nerve roots, the treatment needs to focus on solving these problems.
Sciatica can worsen, particularly when you bend, sneeze, cough, or lift anything. It is common for office executives who lead a sedentary lifestyle, labourers, and pregnant women. With the help of physiotherapy, you can check this condition efficiently. If you go to a licensed physiotherapy clinic Guelph, the professionals will try to alleviate your pain and improve your movement by reducing stress on the nerve and strengthening your muscles.
What can cause sciatica?
Any damage to the sciatic nerve or stress on this nerve root that separates it from the spine can lead to sciatica. Some bone conditions and local injuries can also lead to this problem. However, some of the common scenarios that can cause this health issue include:
- Inaccurate sitting posture
- Herniated disc
- Spinal misalignment
- Use of high heels or low-quality mattress
- Tension in the piriformis muscle in the hip that strains the sciatic nerve
- Harmful lifting and bending habits
- Osteoporosis
How does physiotherapy tackle this medical condition?
Any qualified physiotherapist would first look into your medical history. The person would examine your spine, skeletal system, and nervous system, for which you may have to do some tests. Once all the reports come, the professional can apply a combination of physical therapy treatments to offer you relief. The techniques can include spinal mobilization, massage, trigger point therapy, ultrasound, stretching, and so on. You can also learn about some physical exercises that can reduce your pain to a great extent.
So, if you are suffering from sciatica, you must not delay your meeting with a physiotherapist. Physiotherapy can be one of the best ways to treat this condition without any surgical intervention. It can also prove to be extremely cost-effective compared to other procedures. Plus, it is also an ideal way to minimize the impact of side-effects on your health while recovering from a medical condition.
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