Before reading about Sciatica & Pins & Needles In The Foot, It is important that you read this bit first:
Our clinic regularly sees patients with problems that have not responded to medical treatments or people who are unable to wait to be seen on the NHS.
However, if you have back or neck pain with any of the associated symptoms listed immediately below, then it is recommended that you do not consult our clinic & seek urgent medical attention at A&E as the cause could be Cauda Equina.
- If you are unable to urinate
- If you are unable to empty your bowels
- If you have become incontinent since the onset of your back or neck pain.
- If you have an associated fever
- If you have associated numbness or pins & needles around your anus
- If you have pins & needles or numbness in BOTH legs/feet
Sciatica & Pins & Needles In The Foot
So, assuming none of the above applies to you, then read on if you wish, or simply book online and select your own an appointment ASAP.
What causes sciatica?
Sciatica can be caused by a number of different things, including muscle spasm/over contraction or over stretch & nerve irritation from inflammatory processes in the joint/ligament & muscle complexes.
These apparent causes of Sciatica can originate from many different things, including joint & disc problems. Lesser known causes are connective tissue pulls & tight muscle chains from other areas of the body, such as the shoulder, neck or even the foot.
Commonly, patients we see will have been gardening, running / playing sports, or working (physical & non-physical jobs).
They can develop leg pain instantly, or it can develop over a matter of minutes to hours & sometimes they only notice it on waking the next day.
It really does depend upon the actually root cause the pain, which is where we come in. We try to help find the reason why the pain exists & if possible, reduce or eliminate it.
If Osteopathic treatment is not deemed the most appropriate form of treatment which will help you then we will tell you & refer you to another source of help.
What are of symptoms of sciatica?
Sciatica can also occur with or without back pain. By its very nature, sciatica causes pain into the buttock, down the side & back of the leg & into the shin & foot.
Generally speaking, sciatica is worse for trying to raise your leg whilst keeping your knee straight.
It can also be worse for coughing, sneezing & straining on the toilet.
Sometimes, people even find it hurts when they look down using their head & neck only.
Note: if sciatica occurs along with an inability to go to the toilet, then you should attend A&E immediately as this can be a sign of Cauda Equina which can be a debilitating condition if not treated immediately.
What can we do to help?
Treatment generally focuses on removing inflammation, stretching muscles & connective tissues whilst articulating joints. This simple formula will be tweaked to suit each individual case, with some areas worked on more than others. The main purpose of treatment is to bring about homeostasis, (a natural form of balance in the body).
So you see, treatment helps to release you from your pain; inflammation; more pain cycle.
Both practitioners here at Baks taught Osteopathy at University for many years, working on both undergraduate & post graduate degrees. We use a combination of Osteopathic knowledge & clinical experience to help root out the cause of your pain.
Will treatment hurt?
Treatment should not be painful. You should be able to enjoy good pain relief, albeit with some aches remaining at the end of treatment. These aches usually disappear after a few days, or they can remain until your next session. They are normally due to a build up of inflammatory chemicals which congest the body’s tissues, leading to pain. These chemicals can take time to fully disappear, which is why the minor aches remain a short while. Rarely & usually when you’re in very acute pain, treatment may temporarily provoke your symptoms before relieving them. You can read about it on our Risks of Osteopathy page.
The duration of these aches depends upon your specific problem & how many sessions you are likely to need to resolve it. As a guide, most people have some good relief within 4 – 6 sessions, sometimes less & sometimes longer.
The practitioners at Baks are adept at a number of treatment approaches, including; the Total Body Adjustment, Cranial Osteopathy & Visceral Osteopathy. These different approaches are used because not everyone has a body that needs one particular form of treatment. Sometimes, a combination of treatment approaches are used during the same session, depending on what is needed. The flexibility of our approach is key.
Will I need a lot of treatment?
As alluded to above, an average amount of treatments is 4 – 6, sometimes more & sometimes less. You will never be told that you should come in for treatment when it is not necessary.
Having said that, many people choose to come & see me on a semi-regular basis because once they are out of pain, they like to have treatment anyway. These people find that the relaxing nature of what we do calms them & helps prevent tensions building up. This is always a personal choice & one which you can read about amongst the reviews on our Google page.
Do I need to pre-book, or can I just walk in to see you?
All our consultations are by appointment only, but you don’t need a referral from your doctor, you can just self-refer, no hassle at all.
In fact, it’s easy to get in touch with us and book in, just go to our Bookings Page.
We hope you found reading ‘Sciatica & Pins & Needles In The Foot’ useful. Please feel free to browse the research page for evidence of how we can help.