Dr. Maureen O’Keefe, DPT | February 7, 2022
How to Fix Sciatica and Finally Overcome the Agonizing Pain. Personalized & Holistic Treatment for Sciatica in Grand Rapids!
If You are Looking for Comprehensive, Hands-On and Therapeutic Exercise Sciatica Treatment in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Our PTs Can Help You!
At Purple Mountain Physical Therapy our licensed physical therapists are specialists in delivering sciatica treatment right here in Grand Rapids. In fact, we specialize in helping people overcome sciatica, chronic low back pain, neck pain, SI joint pain and pelvic conditions. We know that if you have sciatica you are suffering. Fortunately, we can help you resolve your sciatica by using effective treatments that restore your spine mobility, reduce irritation on your nerves and improve your core strength.
Our treatment for Sciatica effectively resolves your pinched nerve, restores your ability to move your leg & low back and improves your strength and function. If you are interested to learn more about our treatment for sciatica, call (616) 516-4334 or contact us here with your online question and we will be in touch.
WHAT IS SCIATICA?
Sciatica is a very painful condition when the sciatic nerve, which travels from your low back all the way down your leg to your foot, becomes irritated. Often sciatica is characterized by severe pain running right down the back of your leg and into your toes. Sometimes the pain is localized in one area of the leg, such as your calf. Other times the pain is anywhere along the entire length of your leg.
WHAT DOES SCIATICA FEEL LIKE?
- The pain can feel very sharp or electric, because the nerve is so painful.
- Throbbing, Ache and Spasm: in various areas of your lower back, buttock or leg.
- Altered sensation: Does your foot, thigh or leg feel numb or swollen? We’ve had patients whose sciatica is causing the bottom of their foot to feel swollen, even though it is not swollen. It is common to experience changes in sensation in the leg with sciatica, so you might feel pins and needles or a cold sensation.
- Hard to move: It may cause you to limp. You may not be able to bend over to touch your shoes, due to zinging pain.
- Sciatica can contribute to charley horse spasms in the middle of the night.
- Generalized stiffness in the hip/buttock, ankle, lower leg, hamstring and knee.
- Weakness in the leg. Especially the calves, front of shin, hamstrings and glutes. Often someone cannot stand on one leg and raise the heel if they have sciatica causing weakness.
If you have Sciatica, you know the horrendous pain. It isn’t fun. And on top of this pain and paresthesia, you may also have lower back pain. Our sciatica treatment effectively resolves the irritation on the nerve and you will find that your nerve pain, weakness and altered sensations reduce. Connect with us here to if you have back pain, SI joint pain, buttock pain, hip pain or sciatica. Our licensed PTs specialize in treating low back pain, sciatica, pelvic health conditions, neck pain and TMJ disorders using a holistic model that combines manual therapies with therapeutic exercise in a private, one-on-one appointment with your PT.
TREATMENT FOR SCIATICA AIMS TO REDUCE NERVE IRRITATION, PINCHING, INFLAMMATION AND LACK OF MOBILITY
Sciatica occurs when the sciatic nerve is irritated and not freely able to move along its path. Remember the nerve begins in the spine and travels the length of your leg. Anywhere along this length the nerve should be able to move freely, without friction. For example, if you move to stand up from sitting, the nerve and all of the joints of your lower back should have full capability of moving without any inflammation or compromise in its motion. If you have any issues in your spine joints causing you to be unable to move those joints through a normal range of motion, you could be setting yourself up for Sciatica. Herniated discs are one known cause of sciatica. And, did you know that herniated discs can heal? Our PTs work closely to help create an opportunity for your spine to heal. By providing hands-on manual therapies that reduce nerve pinching, ease stiff joints, align the spine and release myofascial restrictions, pain reduces. Further away from the spine we have all the hip and gluteal muscles. In and around these muscles the Sciatic nerve travels. Tightness or stiffness in the hip joint or gluteal muscles, has a risk of irritating the Sciatic Nerve. By providing you with gentle and effective sciatica treatment, from your spine, through your hips, thighs and down to your feet, you will experience improved ability of the sciatic nerve to move along its path, without being irritated. For more information about our treatment for sciatica at our clinic in Grand Rapids, Michigan, call (616) 516-4334 or contact us here with your online question and we will be in touch.
An MRI does not give you all the answers as to what is causing your sciatica. MRIs can find problems that are not the cause of the pain. Our careful and holistic evaluation and personalized treatment plans are designed to identify and treat the full picture of what is contributing to your sciatica. Conservative physical therapy treatment for sciatica at our Community Votes Award Winning Clinic in Grand Rapids provides you the answers and holistic treatment you need.
When we think of Sciatic Nerve problems, we often have patients ask us if they should get an MRI. Research shows us that many people have less than ideal findings on an MRI and, yet, they have zero pain! Let me say this another way: MRIs often find things that are NOT the cause of your problems. And once those things are found, we know that we all cling to that bad news and often believe that our problem cannot get better on its own. For example, “my MRI showed that I have a bad disc and, therefore, my Sciatica is never going to go away” is an unhelpful finding from an MRI. Many people have bad discs and do not have pain. In fact, you probably had a “bad disc” for a long time and you never had pain until recently.
In our physical therapy approach, we look to evaluate and treat you to determine what are the things that are contributing to you having this pain today and what can we do to resolve those things.
Systematic Literature Review of Imaging Features of Spinal Degeneration in Asymptomatic Populations –American Journal of Neuroradiology April 2015
In a review of 33 research articles that included over 3,000 people who do NOT have low back pain, it was found that disc degeneration, disc bulge, disc protrusion or annular fissure were found in at minimum 19% of people who were 20 years old and at maximum 96% of people who were 80 years old.
CONCLUSIONS of this research study on people who DO NOT HAVE LOW BACK PAIN, but MRIs consistently found spine degeneration:
Imaging findings of spine degeneration are present in high proportions of asymptomatic individuals, increasing with age. Many imaging-based degenerative features are likely part of normal aging and unassociated with pain. These imaging findings must be interpreted in the context of the patient’s clinical condition.
If degenerative findings on my MRI aren’t causing my sciatica, then what could be causing it?
We find that our patients often have a combination of issues contributing to their sciatica. These include
*Your spine does not move well (mechanical problems in the back)
*Core muscles that lack endurance, strength and coordination
*Imbalances in your pelvis, hips, thoracic spine
*Non-optimal posture and habits with moving
*Weakness of glutes and hip muscles, which results in strain through the low back.
We find that people often have these combinations of problems contributing to their sciatica. If the joints of your lower back do not move freely and easily through their full range of motion, this may compress the sciatic nerve, contributing to Sciatica and low back pain. We also find that the core muscles are not coordinated and working optimally. Research shows that the low back muscles tend to not inhibited when you have sciatica. Our treatment works to turn these muscles back on. Our comprehensive methods that are included in your treatment are each designed to get you feeling better. We know that you have choices when finding a provider who can help your back pain; our sciatica treatment in Grand Rapids is a full program, designed to get you relief and provide you the one-on-one care you deserve. To learn more, contact us here by calling (616) 516-4334 or ask you question online and we will be in touch.
How to Fix Sciatica! The Key is to receive comprehensive treatment for sciatica that restores your low back motion, resolves the irritation on your nerve, improves your core strength and restores your posture and joint mobility. Our treatment for sciatica at our PT clinic in Grand Rapids includes all of these things so you get better!
If you have read this far, chances are that you would LOVE to know how to fix your sciatica. Fortunately, our back pain specialist licensed physical therapists help people everyday to get rid of sciatica.
While some people, and even medical providers, seem to tell you that the only way to fix sciatica is to take pain killers, to rest and hope it goes away, we know this is outdated advice that is likely to make your worse.
Effective physical therapy, that includes both therapeutic exercises and hands-on manual therapies to address the spine stiffness, nerve mobility and muscle tension, is your path out of sciatica.
So, please do not avoid movement. Do not stay in bed. Do not avoid all activities. In fact, if you have already been doing these things you probably figured out by now that your pain is not going away and that, in fact, you seem to be having a harder time doing anything.
Our Sciatica Physical Therapy Treatment in Grand Rapids Works to Alleviate Nerve Irritation and Allow the Nerve to Heal.
There is no quick-fix solution for sciatica because nerves, the spine and muscles all need an appropriate treatment that alleviates irritation & stiffness and provides time to heal. But there are solutions that work. Physical Therapy works to resolve sciatica.
Here at Purple Mountain PT, the sciatica treatment we offer in Grand Rapids, is based on many years of experience + advanced training in spine rehabilitation. You can expect one-on-one care and a very detailed evaluation and treatment plan that identifies the underlying contributions to your pain. Each appointment may include any combination of the following:
*Graded exercises designed to get each lumbar joint moving optimally
*Stretches to help your hips, legs, thoracic spine and calves.
*Gentle movements or hands-on care designed to alleviate sciatic pinching.
*Manual therapies such as myofascial mobilization, joint mobilization, myofascial release and trigger point release
*Movement pattern retraining to reduce stress and strain through the low back, to enhance the hip mobility and to improve posture
*Strengthening to improve endurance and coordination of specific core muscles. These include your diaphragm, deep abdominals, pelvic floor, low back, glutes and other hip muscles.
Each appointment for sciatica is private, with your back pain specialist physical therapist and upto 55 minutes in length. This allows for comprehensive treatment at each visit.
We’ve found, through many years of helping people overcome sciatica, that our approach will alleviate your pain. We commonly work with people who saw other providers and tell us that they were left alone to do exercises. That’s not how we care for you here at Purple Mountain PT. Purple Mountain Physical Therapy was founded on a mission to elevate physical therapy care for pelvic health, spine and TMJ conditions so that Grand Rapids has a great place to receive treatment. To learn more about our PT call 616.516.4334 or contact us here.
Pelvic Floor Dysfunction and Low Back Pain Go Together! Could Treating Your Pelvic Floor Be the Missing Piece in Your Sciatica Rehabilitation?
Did you know that if you have back pain, you have a good chance of also having pelvic floor dysfunction? Your pelvic floor muscles serve as part of your core muscles, working in tandem with your back muscles, abdominals and diaphragm. When someone experiences back pain, research finds that their low back muscles are inhibited, meaning you don’t have the correct activation or strength of your low back. Going along with that impairment is often a concomitant impairment of the pelvic floor muscles. One study says it best when it summarized its results:
“Women with low back pain showed an insufficient strength of the pelvic floor muscles.”
-de Abreu, D. L., et al. (2019). The relationship between urinary incontinence, pelvic floor muscle strength and lower abdominal muscle activation among women with low back pain. European Journal of Physiotherapy, 21(1), 2–7
Our patients seek us out based upon our Award Winning reputation for providing results. Patient are looking for sciatica treatment in Grand Rapids that is holistic, personalized and teaches them what do to keep their back and sciatic nerve feeling good. Our holistic, speciaized approach for resolving sciatica pain sets our clinic apart. Our licensed physical therapists use hands-on manual therapies with therapeutic exercise, postural corrective exercises, balance & movement training, stretching and rehabilitative ultrasound imaging to provide a personalized and whole-body, holistic approach to resolve sciatica. Because we specialize in treating pelvic health, TMJ, neck and back conditions, including sciatica, patients receive head to toe treatments at each session.
Considering the roll of the pelvic floor in low back pain and sciatica is often overlooked. However, our patients appreciate this approach. If you don’t have any pelvic floor issues, then that is great news and an important finding for your treatment. The core muscles, which we all know are important when you have back pain, include the pelvic floor. So, if you are serious about wanting to get rid of sciatica and getting your core muscles functioning well again, you must include treatment to your pelvic floor. We work with you to identify your goals and develop a treatment plan that meets your needs and wishes. And, don’t worry, our methods are gentle and effective. In fact, most patients tell us following an appointment that they feel so much better. If our holistic, specialized sciatica treatment methods are of interest to you, yet you still have some questions, reach out to our knowledgable team member today at (616) 516-4334 or ask us you question online here and we will be in touch.
Hang in there if you have sciatica! You can experience relief with the personalized sciatica treatments we provide at our clinic in Grand Rapids.
We are licensed physical therapists who specialize in helping people resolve chronic lower back pain, sciatica, pelvic pain, pelvic floor dysfunction, neck pain, headaches and TMJ pain. Our patients tell us that our therapy has improved their quality of life. Recently, a patient who used to have sciatica left us a voicemail from an airport because she was so thrilled to have been able to walk long distances at a trade show and also through an airport without her sciatica! We love to receive those voicemails and we know that you can experience similar results.
Purple Mountain Physical Therapy is the Community Votes Award Winning Best PT Clinic in Grand Rapids. We are a specialty spine, hip, pelvic health & TM joint disorder clinic. Our physical therapists use a holistic approach to treat chronic neck and low back pain, including sciatica. Our treatment for sciatica occurs at our clinic in Grand Rapids, or via telehealth. Your visits are comprehensive, individualized to your needs and healing. Often, we are the first clinic that has been able to provide meaningful pain relief for our patients. If you are interested in learning more call us at 616.516.4334or fill out this online inquiry and we will be in touch. We consider this work an honor and we are here to get you results. We promise to give you our best!
Peace,
Dr. Maureen O’Keefe, DPT Founder Purple Mountain Physical Therapy
You may be interested in these other articles we’ve written:
What is the Best Treatment for Lower Back Pain?
Are You Living With Lower Back Pain?
Could Your Pain Be Coming From Your Spine
Physical Therapy for Neck Pain and Headaches
What is the First Treatment for Cervicogenic Headaches?
Do Squats Help My Pelvic Floor?
Can Endometriosis Cause Pelvic Floor Dysfunction?
How to Prevent Pelvic Floor Injury During Childbirth
Can Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome Cause Pelvic Floor Dysfunction?
5 Tips To Ease Pelvic Pain that Won’t Go Away!
