Sciatica. Not the good kind of travel.
Sciatica is the term often given to nerve pain travelling down the leg.
• Symptoms can include weakness, numbness, pins and needles, electric sensations, and aching from your back into the hips, legs, feet and/or toes.
• The pain can vary from infrequent and mild, to constant and severe/limiting.
• The nerves originate from the spaces between the lumbar vertebrae close to your discs, then travel the length of your legs between/around various muscles, connective tissues and bones.
• Typically, you will not do any harm by keeping mobile and staying at work as long as your symptoms don’t progress. However, you may need to adapt the way you do certain activities, like getting up from sitting more frequently.
• You may need to shorten the amount of activity you do (based on pain/sensation).
• Gentle back and hip stretches and core muscle activation exercises can reduce the pressure on the sciatic nerves and/or discs. Be careful NOT to do stretches or exercises that aggravate your condition (or increase your symptoms distally).
• If your symptoms are intense or not improving, seek advice from an MD/Chiro.
NOTE: If you experience any of the following symptoms contact your MD/hospital urgently:
1. Worsening WEAKNESS in both legs
2. Numbness around your genital area.
3. An inability to pass urine when you feel that you need to go.
4. Numbness around your genital area or an inability to get an erection.
6. Loss of control of your bowels.