If you’ve been following us, you’ll know that we are Back Pain Experts! We’ve worked with hundreds of people suffering with back pain, and gotten them back to a healthy, active, and independent lifestyle!
Back pain is one of the worst pains to have in my opinion- some people get used to it over time, but it can be absolutely crippling. People wait on back pain because they think it will just “go away”, but that rarely happens.
If you have back pain, you might have experienced sciatica, as the two go hand-in-hand. Not everyone that has back pain has sciatica, but the longer you wait on your pain the more likely you are to develop sciatica. I was talking to someone just the other day, William, and he said that he had always had back pain, but he recently started feeling a new pain- a tingling sensation in his left leg that travelled up all the way to his buttocks and lower back. He said he had lived for years with the back pain and was resigned to just deal with it, but this new pain was something he just doesn’t live with! He called us after seeing an ad in the newspaper about how we could help with back pain, and he’s just started on our Virtual Physical Therapy track!
People may know about back pain, but not many people know that much about sciatica. They are under the same umbrella, but are different. Here are the most common questions about sciatica, answered by someone who has unfortunately dealt with it a lot!
What is Sciatica?
Sciatica is common in back pain victims, and occurs along the path of the large sciatic nerve.
What Does Sciatica Feel Like?
People typically feel a constant burning sensation or shooting pain in the buttock or lower back, and it goes down the front or back of the thigh, leg, and/or feet. People also feel numbness and some weakness.
Why Does Sciatica Occur?
Usually sciatica is a symptom of an underlying medical condition. Here are some of the common medical conditions that may cause sciatica:
- A herniated lumbar disc
- Lumbar spinal stenosis
- Lumbar degernerative disc disease
- Spondylolisthesis
- Muscle spasm
- Sacroiliac joint dysfunction
Sciatica Statistics
- As many as 40% of people will experience sciatica over the course of their life
- The risk of sciatica increases with height and weight
- An estimated 5-10% of people with low back pain have sciatica
How Long Does Sciatica Last?
Sciatica is sometimes a temporary couple-of-hours type of pain, but it can last several weeks or even months.
What Are the Best Treatment Options?
- Applying ice to the area for about 15 to 20 minutes, three times a day, during the first 48 to 72 hours also may help with soreness.
- GET HELP! Medications and icepacks are temporary fixes, but the only way to get lasting results is to have a professional get you through your pain.
Are you struggling with sciatica?
Are you needing help to relive your pain and get back to living a happier, pain-free life?
You’re invited to attend our FREE Virtual Back Pain and Sciatica Workshop on Thursday, January 28th at 4:00 PM.
This workshop is free and open to anyone who…
- Suffers with back pain or leg pain when they stand or walk
- Has pain when they sit for long periods or drive
- Experiences pain, numbness or tingling into their butt, groin or down their leg
- Whose back “goes out” if they move the wrong way
- Is afraid their pain will get worse if they don’t do anything about it
To apply for this workshop, go to https://naturalfittherapy.com/virtualbackpainworkshop.
References: ncbi.com, health.harvard.edu, spine-health.com.
