Sciatica

Office worker experiencing sciatica pain in lower back.

Med1Care Therapy Partner’s physical therapists specialize in the treatment of sciatica pain. Sciatica pain comes from the sciatic nerve, a long nerve that reaches from the low back down the back of each leg.

Symptoms of sciatica typically impact only one side of the lower body and include hip and lower back pain, pain in one buttock, pain in the back of the leg that increases while sitting, leg or foot weakness or numbness, burning or tingling in the leg or a piercing pain that makes it difficult to stand.

Seek immediate medical attention if your sciatica pain is accompanied with any of the following:

  • Fever
  • Swelling of the back or spine
  • Burning during urination
  • Bloody urination
  • Loss of bladder or bowel control
  • Pain that progresses down the legs
  • Weakness or numbness of the tops of the thighs, legs, pelvis, or buttocks
  • Serious pain

Reasons for Sciatica Pain

Sciatica pain indicates irritation of the lower lumbar and lumbosacral spine. Common causes of sciatica pain include pregnancy, muscle spasm, lumbar spinal stenosis, degenerative disk disease, and spondylolisthesis.

Risk factors that increase the likelihood of sciatica include:

  • Pregnancy
  • Spinal changes, like bone spurs or disk herniation
  • Wearing high heals
  • Irregular exercise
  • Being overweight
  • Diabetes
  • Smoking
  • Sleeping on a mattress that is too hard or too soft
  • Jobs that require sitting for long periods, twisting the back or carrying heavy objects

Read more about sciatica here.

How We Can Help

If you are suffering from sciatica pain, our experienced physical therapists can help you decrease your pain, improve your mobility and regain your quality of life using solid principles in physical therapy for sciatica.

Med1Care Therapy Partner’s experienced therapists are trained in treating sciatica pain. Your treatment plan will include assistance with exercises that support good posture and increase your range of motion, as well as education about lifestyle adjustments that can decrease pain. We will partner with your physician to help you build a road to recovery.

Call us at 419.866.0555 to schedule a consultation.
Our specialists will help you chart a course forward.

A cold pack being applied to lower back to treat sciatica pain.To decrease sciatica pain, you may consider treating the affected area with hot or cold packs, stretching, or using over-the-counter pain medication.

PT giving a muscle strength test to a male patient.Sciatica is diagnosed by testing your reflexes and muscle strength. If your pain is severe, your doctor may order additional testing to discover if your sciatica is caused by bone spurs or herniated disks.