“I decided to write ‘True Refuge’ during a major dive in my own health. Diagnosed with a genetic disease that affected my mobility, I faced tremendous fear and grief about losing the fitness and physical freedom I loved.” – Tara Brach
Fortunately, most of us will never be stricken with a genetic disease or condition. But many of us will, or already have, experienced the pain and loss of mobility that comes with sciatic nerve pain.
Sciatica: The Insidious Condition of Baffling Nerve Pain
Most all nerve pain is aggravating if not downright debilitating. However, there is something particularly annoying about sciatic nerve pain, or sciatica. Part of this is due to the often unclear cause of the pain. The other is its ability to make one’s life miserable.
Those who suffer from occasional sciatica often complain of not being able to find relief from the pain regardless of what over-the-counter medication they’ve taken or what position they are in. For some, the pain continues unabated when lying down, sitting, standing, or walking.
And, too often, healthcare providers fail to determine the exact cause of the sometimes crippling nerve pain.
The Mayo Clinic describes sciatica as,
“[P]ain that radiates along the path of the sciatic nerve, which branches from your lower back through your hips and buttocks and down each leg. Typically, sciatica affects only one side of your body.”
Sciatica is a common type of nerve pain that originates from your sciatic nerve. This nerve extends from the lower back through the hips and buttocks down the back of each leg.
Common aspects of sciatica pain include:
- Lower back pain and hip pain
- Burning or tingling down your leg
- Weakness, numbness, or difficulty moving your leg or foot
- Constant pain on one side of your buttocks
- A shooting pain down your leg that makes it difficult to stand up
- Pain in your butt or leg that worsens when you sit
The same article from the Mayo Clinic website points out,
“The pain can vary widely, from a mild ache to a sharp, burning sensation or excruciating pain. Sometimes it can feel like a jolt or electric shock. It can be worse when you cough or sneeze, and prolonged sitting can aggravate symptoms. Usually, only one side of your body is affected.
Some people also have numbness, tingling, or muscle weakness in the affected leg or foot. You might have pain in one part of your leg and numbness in another part.”
Treating the Causes of Sciatica
Sciatica can occur when the sciatic nerve becomes entrapped or pinched, often from a disk in your spine that has herniated, or from a bone spur on your vertebrae. On rare occasions, the sciatic nerve can be compressed by a tumor or even damaged by diseases such as diabetes.
Traditional treatment to relieve sciatic pain usually involves a variety of methods such as rest, heat, ice, ultrasound, massage, and traction. Other common treatments involve muscle relaxants or anti-inflammatory medications, as well as acupuncture, and stretching and strengthening exercises.
Unfortunately, these treatment approaches tend to take a long period of time to provide any noticeable relief, if at all. And, too often, they only give temporary relief from the pain symptoms but do nothing to treat the underlying cause of the problem.
An effective treatment for sciatica, however, is Active Release Technique®. ART® is highly successful since it can be used to locate and treat scar tissue adhesions that accumulate in the muscles and surrounding soft tissues. In addition, it can help to reduce any muscle spasms that sometimes occur with sciatica.
ART® treatment then allows the practitioner to break-up these restrictive adhesions that are found, and then follow up by reinstating normal tissue flexibility and movement. Ultimately, Active Release Technique® can restore flexibility, balance, and stability to the injured area as well as the entire movement sequence.
Sciatic Nerve Pain, ART® and Pain and Performance Solutions
For chronic sciatic nerve pain, as with any type of nerve dysfunction, the first step in recovery is allowing us to get to know you and your pain issues. Once you make your first appointment, we’ll want to learn about your present discomfort as well as any history of discomfort.
After a full examination, we can determine which form of treatment is needed to help you on your road to recovery. As our bodies start to compensate for pain, this can allow you to move on with your day. However, your body can also shift that pain around to compensate for your discomfort and this can lead to other forms of pain.
Sciatic nerve pain relief with ART® begins when we understand how and where your pain originated. That could mean it started with a previous injury or as the result of a work posture or a walking or sitting practice you might have developed.
Your trust in us is key, as is your honesty. Ultimately, getting your body working properly and healthy is the only way to achieve total recovery. So, don’t hesitate to reach out. We are here to help and will answer any, and all questions that you may have. You can reach us at (707) 636-4404 or by filling out our online contact form.