by Sarah Oliver, Osteopath and Dermott Earley, Osteopath
Osteopaths treat people with sciatica very frequently.
Before we start treatment we take a detailed case history and examine your back, legs and sciatic nerves. This allows us to diagnose the cause of your pain. Some conditions look like sciatica but are actually something else and need different treatment! There are also several causes of sciatica so it is useful to know which is the problem.
Treatment usually involves:
Soft tissue technique (massage style treatment) to the muscles in your low back, glutes, thighs and legs.
Mobilisations to your low back, hips, knees, mid back, to encourage your joints to move more freely.
Gentle stretching techniques such as Muscle Energy Technique to your hamstrings, low back.
We will also give you some simple stretches to do at home and we’ll give you advice on how to manage pain.
Treatment aims to improve your flexibility and reduce areas of tension and irritation to the sciatic nerve. This should lead to reduced pain! We’ll also help you build up strength around your low back.
As Sarah says, “most cases of sciatica make a good recovery with gentle exercise, time and pain relief.  Osteopathy should make pain levels more manageable and speed up the healing process”.
Dermott suggests “it is best to stay as active as possible. You might need to take short breaks to sit down or lay down, but otherwise try to keep up with your normal routine. Many people find placing an ice pack on their low back or buttock also helps to reduce sciatic pain”.
To make an appointment with Sarah or Dermott please ring us on 020 8520 5268.