Sciatica is a common type of back pain, affecting the Sciatic nerve which comes from the base of the spine – around waist height – runs through the buttocks and down the back of each leg.

The pain from Sciatica is horrible. Symptoms may include lower back pain, pain in the leg and bottom, pain around the knee or ankle, shooting pains through the leg, numbness or tingling in the bottom, hip, leg or foot or several of those together at various times.

The biggest problem is that – because of where the issues are – virtually every movement is painful and it can be very hard to find a comfortable position in which to rest.  Lying, sitting, standing and driving can all be either painful immediately or after a short time.

The causes are generally listed as quite severe structural problems such as degenerative disc disease and Spondylolisthesis (a condition in which one vertebra slips forward over another one).

In my experience though, this condition is often the result of muscle tension in the lower back or buttocks and often follows an injury resulting from lifting or moving something.  It’s very common for me to see this in clients at this time of the year as the first cut of the lawn happens, the car gets washed, the garden gets dug or the pots on the patio are re-planted.

Either way, the pain is sudden, intense and debilitating. The condition lasts for weeks and affects your whole life. The GP may prescribe pain medications but these are often unsatisfactory and don’t actually resolve the problem.

The issue is that once a muscle has been damaged and pain has been felt by the body, other muscles tighten up to restrict movement and pain and this can actually make the situation worse.

Fortunately, massage is one of the treatments that can help. Jo limped into my treatment room with pain which she described at a 7 or 8 out of 10. After one treatment her pain level was down to 1 or 2 out of 10. By the end of 4 treatments she was pain-free.

I see this progression quite frequently – 4 treatments in 4 weeks will considerable reduce back pain and often resolve it completely, then regular monthly massage will ensure you STAY pain-free.

Give me a call. We can have a free telephone consultation and let’s see how I can help you.