Sciatica – also known as sciatic neuralgia or sciatic neuropathy – is mild to intense low back pain that travels into the left or right leg. Technically, sciatica isn’t a condition. It’s a term that describes the symptoms caused by other conditions in your lower back. Whatever the terms and definitions, it’s estimated that 40% of New Zealanders experience sciatica at some point in their lives, and it hurts!
Sciatica can come on suddenly or gradually. It all depends on the cause. Sciatica happens when sciatic nerve is compressed, causing back pain, tingles, cramping, numbness and shooting pains down the legs. Some people find that it difficult to do their regular activities with sciatica. In the more extreme cases, people can’t get up from their bed.
There are many different reasons for nerve pain, from injuries or damage to joints and nerves in the spine from lifting heavy items or sitting with bad posture. If you visit Body Mechanics Whakatāne on George St because you have sciatic pain, the first thing we’ll do is a consultation to identify the cause of the pain. Understanding what’s causing your sciatica allows us to treat it more effectively.
Sitting for long periods in the wrong conditions can cause all sorts of health problems, including sciatica. It can also happen when you’ve been physically active in the gym or on the sports field, or when you’ve lifted heavy things.
A herniated or ruptured disc is one of the most common causes of sciatica. This occurs when the cushion between the vertebrae of the spine ruptures, pinching the nerves and spinal cord. Sciatica can also develop in older people as the spine ages and degenerates. For many people, the problems start when they are around 40 years of age.
Usually, sciatica affects only one side of your body. Some people say it feels like pins and needles, while others say it’s more like an electrical shock or being stabbed with a knife. Whichever way it feels to you, there are ways to ease your pain.
If your sciatica has become extremely uncomfortable and you start to have issues with loss of bladder or bowel control, the pain is disabling, or you notice progressive muscle weakness such as in inability to lift the foot (foot drop), it’s best to contact your GP right away.
Look after your posture
Posture is key during all movement exercises and in day-to-day activities such as walking around, lifting and sitting. When you walk and stand correctly, you align your bones in a more effective way, creating a better pathway for the course of your sciatic nerve.
It’d be no surprise to anyone that many of us Kiwis spend much of our day sitting down. Relaxing on the couch, taking phone or Zoom calls, traveling to and from work or sitting at a desk most of the day, it all adds up. According to the Ministry of Health, we sit on our bums roughly 9.3 hours a day on average. That’s longer than an average sleep!
To minimise stress to the sciatic nerve while sitting, it is recommended to sit up straight with your shoulders rolled back and shoulder blades down. Keep your legs hip-distance apart with your feet flat on the floor. It’s best when your spine follows its natural curve, and you could use a small pillow or rolled-up towel to support your lower back and stay in the correct position.
Tips to protect your sciatic nerve while walking:
- Keep your back in a neutral position
- Tuck in your stomach and engage your core
- Take breaks and focus on your breathing
- Slow down your pace and take shorter steps
Natural Pain Management
After identifying the cause, your therapist or health professional is likely to recommend something to relieve the pain immediately such as rest, ice packs, muscle relaxants or anti-inflammatories. As many anti-inflammatories have unpleasant side effects, you could try acupuncture as an alternative. Massage can also relieve pain and gently work it out of the body. This also helps get blood flowing, which encourages your body to heal itself.
Acupuncture is used to relieve pain via the stimulation of the nervous system, and acupuncture can help sciatic pain by stimulating specific acupuncture points on the body, which in turn trigger the brain to release neurotransmitters and endorphins, which are our own natural pain relievers. Read more about acupuncture here.
In the acupuncture session, Soki may focus on specific areas to relax muscles, such as the acupuncture points on the lower back and legs. The acupuncture needles rebalance the body’s energy, or qi, and prompt the body to release natural chemicals to fight the symptoms and relieve the pain.
You may only need a couple of treatments to feel pain relief with acupuncture. If the pain is severe, it may take several more treatments. As your condition improves, you can also add gentle forms of exercise as part of your overall health maintenance plan, so you avoid a recurrence of sciatica. Yoga, daily stretches, and Tai Chi are some of the options that will help.