Did you know 1 in 10 people struggle with sciatica? This means that you or someone you know will have suffered at some point in their life, but how much do you actually know about sciatica, and why is it so important and taken so seriously?
What is sciatica?
The sciatic nerve runs from your lower back down into the back of your leg to your foot. It can go around or even through some muscles in the buttock area such as your piriformis muscle and glute muscles. This means that not only a shift in your spine or disc can cause issues, but a tight muscle can also cause sciatic pains. Therefore diagnosis of the CAUSE of your sciatica is crucial when looking for care. Something as simple as stretching a muscle, or having a massage can relieve symptoms for some, whilst others may require some spinal adjustments, but it is unique to each person.
Why is it important we identify sciatica?
The severity of some of the symptoms of sciatica, such as pins and needles, numbness and weakness means that we take sciatica very seriously and so should you. These symptoms can be life changing, and so can relieving these symptoms, which is what we aim to do! We would recommend a healthcare practitioner that is able to provide physical testing to determine the origin of the issue so that you can be referred for care that is optimal to your health and healing.
If you are struggling with sciatica, here are my top 3 tips to assist:
1. Check your posture and alignment, make sure you’re sitting up straight and tall with your ears, shoulders and hips in alignment.
2. Stretching those gluteal muscles, the ‘figure of 4 stretch’ can help and so can some simple yoga stretches such as a ‘child’s pose’. If you need help with these, please do ask and I will happily show you.
3. Liaise with a healthcare practitioner for identification of the issue and treatment.
There’s so much information out there to help you with sciatica, so please use the knowledge to your advantage, and feel free to ask any of us here at Epoch for information or help.
Don’t forget to check out my latest webinar here for more information and an in-depth view of sciatica and how you can help yourself at home! Ask the team and they will email you over the link!
With love,
Lewis
