Scitatica Treatment

Since sciatica can be experienced as pain anywhere along the sciatic nerve, it can be difficult to distinguish from back, hip or thigh pain in general. An experienced healthcare professional will be able to diagnose the underlying cause for your pain and also rule out any more serious causes. They can also help you to make lifestyle changes that will help you to avoid sciatica in the future.

In more serious or persistent cases an x-ray or MRI we can refer you to determine the underlying causes of the compression of the sciatic nerve.

As with many conditions, doing your best to stay generally fit and healthy will minimise your risk of sciatica. Strength training is also a good way to build up the body’s resistance to injury when lifting and to developing sciatica or similar conditions.

Many people consider seeing a doctor for sciatica, but there is a little a doctor can do beyond diagnosing your condition and prescribing painkillers for the pain, or ordering an x-ray or an MRI in more serious cases.

Manual therapy is an effective treatment which targets your sciatica and the root of your pain directly, and many people seek out physical therapies such as massage, acupuncture, chiropractic and osteopathy for their sciatica. Our healthcare professionals can assess and treat your sciatica via online video consultation, or at our clinics in West Hampstead and Maidenhead.

Self-care with exercises and stretches is an excellent part of any treatment programme. It is advisable to see a professional to make sure you get the right stretches and exercises for you. Heat can also be effective at alleviating the pain and many people find that heat pads or a hot bath also ease sciatic pain. Like painkillers however, this does little to fix the underlying cause of your sciatica, despite offering temporary relief.

We are qualified osteopaths registered with the Institute of Osteopathy and General Osteopathic Council. Osteopathy is a hands-on therapy that works by manipulating the muscles and joints in the body to both prevent and treat problems. Osteopaths are Allied Health Professionals who also work in musculoskeletal departments of the NHS. Osteopathy is also a holistic treatment, which looks at the correct and healthy function of your body as a whole, and can identify underlying causes and aggravating factors for your sciatica.

We will give you specialised exercises and stretches for your unique case to allow you to recover as quickly as possible. Your lifestyle and comfort during your recovery are also important, and we will give you advice on factors such as how to sleep with sciatic pain, the best mattress, pillows or chairs for sciatica if necessary, and advice on the use of treatments such as heat pads and painkillers.

We pride ourselves on our 6-step treatment programme. We ensure you are fully involved throughout your treatment, that you are aware of the treatments you are receiving and how they will help, and have a good understanding of the road to recovery and when you can expect to resume your normal activities. Read more on our about us page.

Sciatic treatment normally consists of 3-6 treatment sessions over 4-6 weeks. You can make an appointment quickly and easily online for a video assessment, or at our clinics in West Hampstead and Maidenhead.