Sciatica
The sciatic nerve is the longest nerve in the body and runs from the lower back to the back of the thigh to the foot. Sciatica is nerve pain that is caused by this nerve being irritated, inflamed, or damaged. Sciatica can be caused by pressure on the nerve, for example, due to pregnancy or by incorrect posture that puts too much strain on the back. Although the symptoms of sciatica vary, most symptoms are often felt in the back, legs, and buttocks.
Go directly to:
- Common Sciatica symptoms
- Causes of Sciatica
- Treatment for Sciatica
- Exercise Therapy for Sciatica
- Patient Experiences
Common Sciatica symptoms
- Dull pain (numbness) in leg, foot and/or toes
- Stabbing pain in buttock/leg
- Pain shoots in the back
- Weakened muscles
Causes and types of Sciatica
The most common form of sciatica is mainly caused by incorrect loading of the back, a hernia, or arthrosis. This causes pressure on the nerve which often results in low back pain. The pain can also radiate to the leg. In addition, sciatica can also be caused by spondylolisthesis and/or osteoporosis.
In acute sciatica, the symptoms persist for a maximum of 6 weeks. Because of natural recovery, these sciatica symptoms often go away by themselves. If the sciatica symptoms persist for a longer period of time, it is wise to do something about this quickly in order to prevent chronic sciatica.
Treatment for Sciatica
An extensive initial assessment takes place before the treatment of Sciatica. Here the symptoms are mapped out and both patient and medical professional discuss which treatment is best suited to the symptoms. Possible treatment goals for Sciatica include:
- Reduce pain
- Increase in pain-free mobility
- Learn correct posture
- Increase strength and stability (exercises)
Treatment methods for Sciatica
Depending on the examination, we will determine which treatment method is most effective for your sciatic complaints. This can be for example the following treatment methods:
- Manual therapy
- Exercise Therapy with David devices
- Home exercises
Exercise Therapy for Low Back Pain
The David treatment will, among other things, be aimed at reducing muscle tension, reducing pain, giving tips/advice regarding your posture, and rebalancing (strengthening and stabilizing) your back.
- Reducing muscle tension
- Reducing pain
- Increasing mobility
- Learning the correct posture
- Increasing strength and stability in the back (Exercise Therapy)
Patient Experiences
David has treated more than a million people with back pain in more than 25 countries over the last 10 years. Read the patient experiences on our blog page.