Understanding the Roots of Sciatic Pain
Are you experiencing sharp, burning pain along one side of your hips, buttocks, and legs? You could have sciatica, a condition affecting the sciatic nerve. Fortunately, the physical therapists at Miss-Lou Physical Therapy can help you identify the source of your sciatic pain and find a treatment option that works.
Sciatica is a common but often debilitating condition that affects approximately 40% of people at some point in their lives. It refers to pain, numbness, or tingling that radiates down the back of the leg. Discomfort from sciatica can range from mild to severe and, in some cases, may be accompanied by weakness or difficulty moving the affected leg.
Depending on the severity of your sciatica, it can profoundly affect your day-to-day life, preventing you from participating fully in leisure activities and sports, household chores, or work duties.
Sciatica is often misunderstood. People frequently use the term “sciatica” to refer to any pain in the lower limbs, but it specifically refers to pain brought on by issues with the sciatic nerve. Originating in the lower back, the sciatic nerve extends down the legs to the feet, and its affliction typically manifests as pain on one side or leg.
For this reason, an accurate diagnosis is crucial to effective sciatica treatment. Our expert physical therapists will use a combination of patient history, physical assessments, and imaging studies to identify the underlying cause of sciatic pain.
At Miss-Lou Physical Therapy, we use a comprehensive, evidence-based approach to address the root cause of sciatica and alleviate its symptoms, fostering lasting relief and restoring function. Our results-oriented treatment approach will help you overcome pain, regain mobility, and reclaim control of your health and fitness.
Request an appointment today, and let us help you discover long-term relief from your sciatica!
What are the Common Causes of Sciatica?
Sciatica is not a medical issue in and of itself but a potential symptom of several different conditions, including herniated discs, bone spurs from degenerative changes, or injury. When these conditions irritate or trigger inflammation in the sciatic nerve, it leads to sciatica.
The physical therapists at Miss-Lou Physical Therapy will help you identify which condition is causing your sciatica, then provide treatment to address it while also helping you manage your pain. We want you to see results, which means addressing your pain at the source.
We fully recognize the potency of information and its significance in our patients’ lives. If you’ve already self-diagnosed a condition or have been diagnosed by a doctor, we view it as a starting point for our collaborative journey. Nevertheless, our ultimate goal is to equip you with a profound comprehension of your body, enabling you to transcend the constraints of your condition and embrace a more wholesome lifestyle.
Central to our approach is patient education, empowering you with knowledge so that you need not feel restricted by symptoms or diagnoses.
Here are some common conditions that can trigger sciatica or sciatica-like pain:
- Lumbar Herniated Disc
- Piriformis Syndrome
- Spondylolisthesis
- Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction
- Lumbar Spinal Stenosis
While most people recover from sciatica, multiple episodes are not uncommon–and, unfortunately, the pain tends to worsen each time you experience another episode. That’s why the results-oriented approach at Miss-Lou Physical Therapy is an effective treatment option. By addressing the source of your pain, we can prevent future flare-ups.
We’re committed to providing you with research-backed tools to alleviate your pain and prevent future recurrences so you can get back to a healthy, active lifestyle free from pain.
How Evidence-Based Physical Therapy Can Help Resolve Sciatica
When you come in for treatment, our Natchez, Ferriday and Jonesville, MS team of physical therapists will conduct a thorough physical examination to assess your range of motion, identify weaknesses, pinpoint the location and nature of your pain, and evaluate your symptoms and limitations. From there, we’ll be able to determine what condition is causing your sciatica so we can treat it accordingly.
We pull from several different evidence-based treatment approaches to address your current pain and its cause. Your treatment will be customized based on the condition causing your sciatic pain and any other needs you might have.
- Manual Therapy
- Therapeutic Exercise
- Mobility Work and Strengthening Exercises
No matter the source of your sciatica or sciatica-like pain, the Miss-Lou Physical Therapy therapists will work closely with you to find the right combination of treatment approaches to relieve your pain and restore full function. In addition to education and in-clinic sessions, we’ll prescribe at-home exercises so you can see results faster.
You’ll be on your way to a pain-free, active lifestyle with our proven treatment approaches and customized care! Request an appointment today to get started.
Your Next Steps…
Request An Appointment
Receive A Custom Treatment Plan
Work Hard and Progress In Your Recovery
Recover & Enjoy Life Pain-Free!