When you hear someone saying that they are suffering with sciatica, they will most likely say that they have pain going down the leg.
It is not a diagnosis as it just describes where the pain is – it does not tell us what is causing the problem and therefore the correct treatment that is needed.
Sciatica is the name given to any sort of pain that is caused by irritation or compression of the sciatic nerve – which runs down the back of your thigh and into the lower leg and foot.
If you have pain on the inside of your thigh, then this could be caused by irritation to the obturator nerve and pain down the front of your thigh could be from the femoral nerve.
Sciatic pain can vary widely, from mild, infrequent and irritating to severe, constant and debilitating. There are many different causes of sciatica, the most common ones are:
A bulging disc or disc degeneration, spinal degeneration, poor alignment or instability of the pelvis, muscle spasm, strain and inflammation, and postural strain such as in pregnancy. Aggravating factors include being overweight, not exercising regularly and wearing high heels.
At the Clinic in Shefford, Bedfordshire we are trained to identify which is the most likely cause of your pain and to then give appropriate treatment and advice.
It is our experience that most sciatic symptoms are caused by a combination of pressure and inflammation of the nerve root. Treatment of the related joints, ligaments, tendons and muscles is undertaken using a series of hands-on manual techniques tailored to each patient.
As well as getting the body moving correctly we will also offer advice on exercises and how to make sure that your posture is correct when sitting and standing and prevent future problems.