What it is:
Sciatica is a diagnosis that is typically made when a person is experiencing a pain in the low back which extends usually down the back of one buttock, thigh and leg. The pain can be severe, burning or sharp and can be accompanied by numbness and tingling.
Where it comes from:
Usually, the pain and other symptoms come from direct compression of or tension on the sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve is made of 5 nerve roots that come off the spinal cord in the low back and sacral areas. The pressure or tension on the sciatic nerve can be caused by:
There are other possible reasons for sciatica including Adverse Mechanical Cord Tension, where the spinal cord is pulled on from the neck. Also, the situation can be complicated by degeneration (arthritis), spinal and pelvic fixations, decreased flow of cerebro-spinal fluid and muscle imbalances in the pelvis and around the hips.
What it isn’t:
It’s important to be able to differentiate sciatica from other similar symptoms, namely Gluteal muscle trigger points.
The common approach:
Various practitioners like physiotherapists and chiropractors do a great job treating sciatica by trying to mobilize the affected area, trying to reduce the pressure on the sciatic nerve. They will try to reduce the pain and stabilize the area.
The Neuro-Structural Approach:
At the Happy Spine, we use a holistic approach called the Neuro-Structural Approach. There are two main differences between the Neuro-Structural Approach and the common approach.
- The Neuro-Structural Approach acknowledges that there must be distortion around the sciatic nerve as well as in other areas of the body like in the neck and shoulders which must be considered for a total, permanent solution.
- The Neuro-Structural Approach also looks for the reason why the body has lost its capacity for self-correction or self-healing.
By restoring the body’s capacity for self-correction, the Neuro-Structural Approach helps the body shift out of and reorganize the distortion, wherever it may be. This leads to a permanent solution rather than a temporary fix.
In order to find the best solution for a sciatic problem, you want to find someone who is not only able to differentiate between the many possible diagnoses; You want to find someone who can provide a lasting solution.