The human body consists of complex nerves, ligaments, tendons, and muscles. Your sciatic nerve is your body’s largest nerve, extending from the lumbar spine, specifically through the buttocks area.
Pain mainly emerges if unnecessary pressure is applied to the sciatica nerve.
Sciatica is also referred to as lumbar radiculopathy. It is a severe condition that results from sciatica nerve irritation.
If you are dealing with sciatica, you will experience a lot of pain while walking, bending, and exercising. The most common cause of sciatica includes lumbar disc herniation. Sometimes, it could even be caused by disc degeneration and back injury.
As a part of the treatment, you should straightforwardly visit a spine doctor who will first examine your condition. They may refer you to a physiotherapist specifically as part of your multidisciplinary sciatica treatment plan.
Typically, physiotherapy involves active and passive therapies. Active therapy, e.g., therapeutic exercise, requires you to participate in the program actively.
On the other hand, passive therapy includes those treatments, e.g., cold or heat packs that the physiotherapist administers.
Why Is Physiotherapy Recommended For Those Dealing With Sciatica?
If you are looking for sciatica relief in Edmonton, AB, then physiotherapy is a practical treatment approach that you should rely on.
It can help improve your physical functioning, reduce pain and inflammation, and prevent the recurrence of sciatica symptoms.
Often, it includes a home exercise program that aids in effectively improving your physical health for the long term. Your physiotherapist may also teach you the best ways to improve your posture.
What To Expect From Physiotherapy For Sciatica?
Specifically, during your first visit to a physiotherapy clinic, your therapist will focus on reviewing your lifestyle habits, medical history, etc. They will again ask you specific questions regarding your sciatica experience.
After knowing everything from your side, they may ask you to perform specific simple movements. In this way, they will focus on evaluating your posture, range of motion, movement stability, and reflexes.
They will again ask you to extend backward, flex forward at the waist, bend side-to-side, or twist at the waist position.
The therapist will observe your walking as well. These will effectively help them access your present condition and how sciatica has affected your physical functioning.
Your active and passive therapy program is designed to include realistic goals that you want to achieve. It will help devise a well-structured physiotherapy program suitable for your specific body needs.
As the leg and back pain becomes more manageable, your treatment plan will consist of various types of exercises and stretches. After that, they will effectively combine everything they have learned from your evaluation.
Like any other treatment option, physiotherapy needs time to work on your body. You can expect desired outcomes after several weeks.
Your sciatica relief Edmonton, AB treatment plan will likely include specific approaches along with an at-home exercise regimen.
Various Treatment Approaches For Sciatica Pain Relief
Your personalized plan may include some of the treatment approaches as mentioned below:
- Deep Tissue Massage
It targets specific spinal muscles and fascia in the lumbar spine, nerves that branch off the sciatica nerve, buttocks, and hips, which may be compressing the sciatica nerve.
Your physiotherapist will use friction and direct pressure, which helps to release the tension in your soft tissues, i.e., muscles, tendons, and ligaments.
- Cold And Hot Therapies
Your therapist will use heat to get more blood to the targeted area. More blood flow means more nutrients and oxygen to that particular area. On the other hand, cold therapy is very effective in slowing down blood circulation.
So, it helps to reduce pain, muscle spasms, and inflammation. Your therapist will alternate between cold and hot therapies for your sciatica relief in Edmonton, AB.
- Ultrasound
Ultrasound helps generate sound waves that travel deep into the tissues of your muscle.
It helps in the creation of gentle heat, which effectively enhances circulation. Increased circulation helps to reduce stiffness, swelling, cramping, muscle spasms, and pain. In turn, it contributes to the healing process.
- TENS
It helps stimulate your muscles through variable intensities of electric current. By trying out this particular treatment approach, you would be able to get rid of your muscle spasms effectively.
This therapy also produces endorphins in your body, a natural painkiller. If required, you could again try out this therapy at home.
Final Verdict
So, it is evident from the section above that physiotherapy could be your answer if you are dealing with sciatica pain. It is known to be a safe, effective, and non-invasive plan of treatment that is targeted to the root cause of your pain.
You can get relief by staying in good shape, practicing good posture, and maintaining proper body mechanics. Your therapist will also let you know about the best ways to prevent sciatica and other pain from occurring in the future.