Addressing Sciatic Pain: Start Early for Best Results

Lower back pain is bad enough. Now imagine that pain radiating down through your buttocks and into your leg. Maybe your leg becomes numb. Maybe the pain is so bad that you can barely walk! For people with sciatica, this nightmare scenario is a reality. Sciatica is a type of lumbar radiculopathy (i.e., nerve pain) resulting from damage or irritation to the sciatic nerve, which runs from your lower back down the back of your leg. It affects between 1% – 5% of the population.

Sciatica can be debilitating. In addition to intense pain, it severely limits your mobility — some people may struggle to get around at all. And because it results from nerve damage, it can also cause numbness, tingling, and other sensations in the leg. The good news is that physical therapy at Lycoming Physical Therapy is one of the best treatment options for addressing sciatic pain. Unlike pain medication, it doesn’t simply mask the symptoms — it seeks to resolve the underlying cause of your sciatic pain so that you have lasting relief. Are you ready to say goodbye to sciatic pain for good? Call us to set up your initial evaluation today — and let us get to the root of your sciatica!

When Should I See a Physical Therapist About Sciatica? 

As with most musculoskeletal pains, sooner is better! Many people try to ride out sciatic pain by taking pain medication and resting — which can actually be counterproductive and further worsen the underlying cause of your sciatica. By seeking out an early intervention, you can start feeling better faster.

You should also pay attention to changes in the severity of your pain or shifting sensations in your back and leg. Because sciatica is caused by pressure on the sciatic nerve, these changing symptoms can indicate something is happening to the nerve.

What are some of the specific symptoms of sciatica you should watch out for?

• Pain in the lower back, buttocks, and leg. (Sciatica usually only affects one leg at a time.) This pain might be dull, throbbing, aching, shooting, sharp, etc. Remember to pay attention to changes in sensation!
• Numbness or tingling in the back, buttocks, or leg
• Restricted range of motion in the back. You might struggle to twist, bend, or stand up straight.
• Walking with a limp
• Increased pain in the morning or after remaining in one position for an extended period

One symptom you absolutely shouldn’t ignore is any kind of incontinence when paired with sciatic pain. This indicates a serious medical emergency that may require surgical intervention — but our physical therapists will be here waiting to help you with rehabilitation!

Fortunately, such incidents are rare. In most cases, regular physical therapy is enough to resolve sciatic pain.

Physical Therapy: Frontline Treatment for Sciatica

One of the reasons physical therapy is so effective for sciatic pain is that it focuses on resolving the underlying cause. When you come in for your appointment, our therapists will perform a comprehensive evaluation to help us determine what might be irritating, pinching, or compressing your sciatica nerve.

We’ll ask you to share details about your symptoms, such as when they started and the exact sensations you’re experiencing (i.e., dull pain, shooting pain, numbness). We’ll also perform several movement screens that give us a complete picture of your situation. We might check the following:

• Overall mobility
• Muscle weakness and activity
• Nerve activity
• Posture
• Balance and gait

Once we understand what’s causing your sciatic pain, we’ll develop a customized treatment plan to address that cause. The most common cause of sciatica is a lumbar herniated disc. 

Nestled between each vertebra in your spine is a vertebral disc, a soft cushion of cartilage that protects the vertebrae from rubbing against each other. If one of those discs becomes damaged — either because of a sudden injury or age-related degeneration — they can rupture or bulge, irritating the nearby sciatic nerve.

By addressing your herniated disc, you can resolve your sciatica. For most people, that means a targeted, progressive therapeutic exercise program paired with pain management techniques such as manual therapy.

How EMG/NCS Testing Can Help Identify The Source of Sciatic Pain

If you’re struggling with sciatica, you want relief fast. But until you know what’s irritating your sciatic nerve, you’ll never be able to resolve your pain entirely. 

In most cases, a herniated disc is the culprit for sciatica. Still, it’s important to be sure, as the underlying cause of your pain will dictate the treatment approach our multidisciplinary team recommends. Diagnostic tools such as EMG/NCS testing will help us know for certain.

EMG/NCS Testing: A Quick Overview

An EMG (electromyography) is a simple procedure that measures the electrical activity of your muscles. A diagnostic specialist will insert a needle electrode into your muscle. They’ll ask you to contract and relax the muscle as the EMG records the results.

EMG tests are usually performed alongside an NCS (nerve conduction study), which measures the speed of electrical activity along your nerves. An NCS uses electrodes that are attached to the skin. The specialist will send a small electrical pulse between the electrodes to collect the necessary information.

Together, these two studies can confirm that your sciatica is, in fact, courtesy of a herniated disc–allowing the Lycoming Physical Therapy team to get started on an appropriate treatment program.

Schedule Your EMG/NCS Test Today!

A simple test might be all you need to get to the root of your sciatica pain. To get started, call us to schedule your testing appointment today!