Sciatica is the Latin word for “Pain down the back of the leg” Sciatica is referred pain usually caused by trapping the sciatic nerve in the lower back. The sciatic nerve runs from the lower back down through the buttocks and along the back of each leg.
Sciatica is pain along this nerve and is a relatively common form of back pain and is usually caused by pressure on the sciatic nerve from a herniated or bulging disc. The pain from sciatica can be anything from infrequent and irritating to severe and debilitating.
Usually, it affects only one side, the pain radiating through the buttock and down the leg and is often associated with a constant pain on one side of the buttocks, pain in the leg and/or buttock that may be worse when sitting, burning or tingling down the leg, weakness, numbness or difficulty moving the leg or foot or a shooting pain that makes it difficult to stand up.
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While sciatica can be extremely painful and uncomfortable, it is rare that permanent nerve damage (tissue damage) results. Most pain is due to inflammation and will improve within a period of time. Nerve pain is caused by a combination of pressure and inflammation on the nerve root, and treatment is centred on relieving both of these conditions.
Typically, sciatica is made worse by bending, lifting, sneezing and coughing. Sciatica is a common problem for manual workers, sedentary office workers and is particularly prevalent during pregnancy.
Sciatica nerve pain is caused by pressure on the sciatic nerve – a very large nerve that originates from the lower lumbar spine and travels through the buttock into the leg as far as the back of the knee.
Common causes for this pressure on the sciatic nerve include: Piriformis syndrome (tightness of the piriformis muscle in the buttock that compresses the sciatic nerve); Spinal malalignments, vertebral dysfunction; Herniated disc or disc prolapse; Osteoarthritis; Poor posture – wearing high heels, prolonged sitting, poor mattress; Poor lifting technique and poor bending habits; Spinal compressions due to osteoporosis.
Since there are many disorders that can cause sciatica, your physiotherapist’s first task is to determine the exact cause of your sciatic nerve interference.
Physiotherapy treatment always begins with a thorough history of your medical background, previous injuries and day-to-day activities to better understand your condition.
At a2z Health Group, we’ll also conduct spinal, orthopaedic and neurological examinations. Special diagnostic imaging investigations such as x-ray, CT, MRI and posture pro scan may also be required to accurately diagnose your sciatica.
As sciatica pain stems from pressure on the sciatic nerve, it stands to reason that treatment involves removing this pressure. Your physiotherapy treatment aims to achieve this by reducing nerve pressure caused by poorly moving spinal joints as well as easing muscular tension in the lower spine, buttock and leg.
To do this, our qualified and experienced physiotherapists adopt a range of techniques including: Spinal mobilisations;
Massage therapy and trigger point therapy; Stretching tight muscles, joints, tendons and ligaments; Ultrasound and other electrical stimulation devices.
If you are suffering with sciatica at the moment, don’t delay seeking treatment at our Noble Park and Dandenong clinic – you can achieve the best results when you address the symptoms early. In addition to your clinical treatment, we may also advise you on a series of home stretching exercises to complement your treatment, and apply ice and heat to help aid your recovery. Book an appointment online today – we provide tailored physiotherapy, occupational therapy, hydrotherapy, clinical Pilates, massage and bracing treatments to cater for your specific condition.
A Physiotherapy session involves our Physiotherapist taking you through a thorough professional physical assessment followed by a diagnosis of your specific problem. Physiotherapists help you understand what causes the problems and related injuries as part of our educational approach to integrating the treatment with your lifestyle. This is then followed by a variety of treatment techniques and exercises to assist your return to mobility and full function.
The average physiotherapy session varies from 20 – 30 minutes, with most patients receiving a structured series of exercise and stretches to do at home to complement their treatment in our physiotherapy clinic. All our treatments are one-on-one in private treatment rooms – we never see more than one patient at a time. You do not need a Doctor’s referral to see our Physiotherapists and health funds will pay a rebate for part of the cost of your physio consultation.
Our Physiotherapists use the latest hands-on techniques such as joint mobilisation, manipulation, stretching, taping, soft tissue techniques and dry needling to assist in pain management and injury recovery. We also focus on personalised exercise programs involving biomechanical analysis, specific muscle activation, strengthening and conditioning exercises, balance and proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation, postural correction, and core stability training to assist in the restoration of the physical function, injury rehabilitation and performance of the body.
Physiotherapists are experts in the prevention of all kinds of injury, particularly sports injuries. We work with health club practitioners and provide advice or complement training techniques in preventing injury. Our physiotherapists will discuss any important lifestyle factors such as training programs, sporting goals, workstation setups and postural correction to help prevent problems from recurring or better still, from happening in the first place. In many cases there is more than one cause of your pain, especially if it is a chronic or recurring problem.
Whether you have injured yourself while working out in the health club, doing normal activities at home, at work or on the sporting field, our Physiotherapists will help you recover in a speedy, complicated-free treatment to get you back to your normal activities. Physiotherapists focus on the assessment, maintenance and restoration of the physical function and performance of the body and minimise your chance of re-injury. Getting you back to your fitness regime quickly is what Physiotherapists aim for.
What should you expect from your initial consultation?
At your initial visit your physiotherapist will perform a thorough physical assessment enabling them to diagnose your condition. Once your condition has been diagnosed your physiotherapist will then explain it to you and specific treatment will be recommended and commenced to help solve your problem. This process is likely to take around 40 minutes.
Do I need a Doctor’s referral to make an appointment?
A Doctor’s referral is welcome but not necessary if you are attending one of our clinics as a private patient. You do however require a referral from your Doctor if your problem is related to a motor vehicle accident, or if you are a Veterans’ Affairs patient.
You do not need a Doctor’s referral if your problem is related to a workplace injury. However, your first medical certificate will need to come from your Doctor.
Do I receive a rebate for physiotherapy treatment from my Private Health Insurance Fund?
If you are in a Private health Insurance Fund and are covered for Ancillary Cover or “extras’’ then you will be eligible to receive a rebate. Currently there is only limited funding for treatment of chronic conditions via Medicare.
If I am covered by my Private Health Insurance Fund how do I claim for my treatment?
At our clinics we use an electronic payments and claiming system called HICAP’s. This system allows you to automatically claim your rebate from your Health Fund immediately following your treatment. All you need is to present your Health Fund Card to one of our receptionists who instantly process your claim. Once this is completed all you are required to do is pay the ‘gap amount’ (the difference between the treatment fee and the rebate you received from the Health Fund). This can be paid with cash, cheque, credit card or EFTPOS.
Is physiotherapy covered by Medicare?
There are some provisions for limited physiotherapy costs to be covered under Medicare. To qualify for this you must be suffering from a condition that has been present, or is likely to be present for at least 6 months and your GP must be currently using a personally managed EPC (Enhanced Primary Care) multidisciplinary plan. If you meet these two criteria then this may enable you to receive up to 5 Medicare funded treatments per year. To find out all necessary details ask your GP or contact us for more information.
1/82 Stud Road
Dandenong VIC 3175
128 Chandler Rd, Noble Park VIC 3174, Australia
