Sciatica Treatment Geelong
Pain, tingling or discomfort travelling down your leg?
Sciatica is commonly used to describe pain that travels from the lower back or buttock into the leg — but not every pain that travels down the leg is actually sciatica.
At The Manx Myo, your appointment starts with understanding your symptoms, how they're affecting you and what you want to get back to doing.
From there, I'll assess your presentation and develop an individual treatment and rehabilitation plan where Myotherapy is appropriate.
What is sciatica?
Sciatica describes symptoms associated with irritation or compression of a nerve root in the lower back that contributes to the sciatic nerve.
Symptoms can vary considerably from person to person.
You may experience:
Pain travelling from the lower back or buttock into the leg
Tingling or pins and needles
Numbness or altered sensation
Burning or electric-like pain
Symptoms aggravated by certain movements or positions
Back pain alongside leg symptoms
In some cases, changes in strength
Symptoms may extend into the thigh, calf or foot depending on the nerve structures involved.
Is all pain down the leg sciatica?
No — and this is an important distinction.
Pain in the buttock, hamstring or leg doesn't automatically mean you have sciatica.
A number of musculoskeletal problems can produce symptoms around these areas without involving irritation of a spinal nerve root.
That's why simply treating the area where you feel the pain isn't always the best approach.
Assessment can help build a clearer picture of your symptoms and determine whether they appear consistent with sciatica or whether something else may be contributing.
Learn more about Back Pain Treatment in Geelong →
What causes sciatica?
Sciatica can occur when a nerve root in the lower back becomes irritated or compressed.
One potential cause is a change involving an intervertebral disc, such as a disc protrusion or herniation.
Other changes around the lower back can also affect the space available for nerve structures.
However, scan findings don't always correlate directly with symptoms.
Disc bulges and other age-related changes can be present in people who aren't experiencing pain at all.
For this reason, imaging is only one part of the overall clinical picture.
Your symptoms, medical history, physical assessment and function are all important when determining what may be happening and how best to manage it.
How can Myotherapy help with sciatica?
The first step is determining whether your symptoms appear consistent with sciatica and whether Myotherapy is appropriate for you.
Where appropriate, Myotherapy may form part of a broader approach to managing your symptoms and helping you remain or become more active.
Your treatment may include:
Read our blog on sciatica here
Movement & functional assessment
I'll look at relevant movements, strength and function to better understand your presentation and how your symptoms respond.
Hands-on treatment
Massage and other hands-on techniques may be used to help manage associated muscular pain, sensitivity or stiffness.
Joint mobilisation
Manual techniques may be incorporated where appropriate depending on your presentation.
Exercise rehabilitation
Exercise can be an important part of managing sciatica.
Your exercises will be selected based on your individual symptoms and goals and may focus on movement, strength or gradually rebuilding your tolerance to activity.
Education & advice
Understanding what's happening and knowing what you can safely continue doing can be particularly valuable when experiencing nerve-related symptoms.
We'll discuss your work, activity, exercise and any temporary modifications that may be appropriate.
Do I need to rest if I have sciatica?
Not necessarily.
It can be tempting to avoid movement completely when you're experiencing pain travelling down your leg, particularly if you're worried about making the problem worse.
However, prolonged inactivity isn't always helpful.
Depending on your presentation, maintaining some level of comfortable activity and gradually building what you're able to tolerate may form part of your management.
That doesn't mean pushing through severe symptoms.
The amount and type of activity that's appropriate will depend on your individual situation.
Does a disc bulge mean my back is damaged?
Not necessarily.
Terms such as disc bulge, protrusion, degeneration and arthritis can sound alarming when they appear on an MRI report.
However, these findings are relatively common and can also be found in people who aren't experiencing symptoms.
A scan therefore needs to be interpreted alongside your symptoms and clinical presentation.
If you already have an MRI or CT report, you're welcome to bring it with you and we can discuss how the findings relate to your presentation.
Do I need an MRI for sciatica?
Not everybody experiencing symptoms consistent with sciatica requires immediate imaging.
Whether imaging is appropriate depends on factors such as your symptoms, medical history, examination findings and how the condition progresses.
If I identify something during your assessment that warrants further investigation, I'll recommend discussing this with your GP or another appropriate healthcare professional.
When should sciatica receive urgent medical assessment?
Most presentations of sciatica don't require emergency treatment.
However, some symptoms require prompt medical assessment.
Seek urgent medical attention if you develop symptoms such as:
New loss of bladder or bowel control
Numbness around the groin, genitals or saddle region
Significant or rapidly worsening weakness in one or both legs
Severe symptoms affecting both legs
Significant trauma alongside your symptoms
Fever or feeling systemically unwell alongside significant back pain
These symptoms can indicate a problem requiring urgent medical investigation.
If I'm concerned about your presentation during your appointment, I'll refer you for appropriate medical assessment.
What happens at your first appointment?
We'll start by discussing:
Where your symptoms are located
Whether they travel into your leg
Any numbness, tingling or altered sensation
When the symptoms started
What aggravates or eases them
Previous episodes of back or leg pain
Your work and activity levels
Your exercise or training
What you're currently struggling to do
Where appropriate, I'll then assess movement, strength, function and neurological signs relevant to your presentation.
We'll discuss what we've found and whether your symptoms appear consistent with sciatica.
If Myotherapy is appropriate, we'll then develop a treatment and rehabilitation plan based around your symptoms and goals.
Sciatica in runners and active people
Experiencing back or leg symptoms can be particularly frustrating when you're used to exercising regularly.
It also doesn't automatically mean you need to stop everything.
Depending on your presentation, we may be able to modify your current training while maintaining activities you're comfortable with.
From there, the goal is to gradually build your capacity as your symptoms allow.
Whether you're trying to return to running, cycling, the gym or another sport, your rehabilitation should reflect the demands you're actually trying to return to.
Why choose The Manx Myo?
Hi, I'm Tom Black, owner and Myotherapist at The Manx Myo.
I've worked in manual therapy for more than 13 years, helping people manage musculoskeletal pain and return to the activities that matter to them.
Before becoming a therapist, I competed internationally as a cyclist and represented the Isle of Man at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi.
My approach combines thorough assessment, hands-on treatment, education and targeted exercise.
I don't believe in one-size-fits-all treatment or simply treating the area that hurts.
The aim is to understand your individual presentation and develop an appropriate plan to help you move forward.
MEET TOM
Frequently Asked Questions
Is piriformis syndrome the same as sciatica?
Not necessarily.
The term sciatica generally refers to symptoms associated with irritation or compression of a spinal nerve root.
Pain originating around the buttock or deep gluteal region can sometimes produce similar symptoms without being true sciatica.
Assessment can help differentiate between potential contributors to your symptoms.
Can massage help sciatica?
Massage and other hands-on techniques may help manage associated muscular discomfort or sensitivity for some people.
However, massage doesn't simply "release" a compressed nerve and shouldn't automatically be the entire treatment plan.
Your management may also involve movement, education, activity modification and targeted exercise.
Can dry needling help sciatica?
Dry needling may sometimes be incorporated to address associated muscular pain or sensitivity.
It does not directly treat or "release" a compressed spinal nerve and isn't necessary for everyone experiencing sciatica.
Should I stretch my sciatic nerve?
Not automatically.
Some movements or stretches may aggravate nerve-related symptoms in certain presentations.
Rather than aggressively stretching through pain or tingling, exercises should be selected according to your individual symptoms and response.
How long does sciatica take to improve?
Recovery varies from person to person.
Factors such as the nature and severity of your symptoms, how long you've experienced them and your overall presentation can influence recovery.
Rather than promising a particular timeframe, we'll monitor how your symptoms and function change and adjust your management accordingly.
Can I still exercise with sciatica?
Often some activity can be maintained, although temporary modifications may be appropriate.
We'll look at what aggravates your symptoms, what you can comfortably tolerate and what you're hoping to return to.
Sciatica Treatment in Geelong
The Manx Myo provides assessment and Myotherapy for people experiencing sciatica and other back and leg symptoms from 27 Melbourne Road, Drumcondra, just minutes from Geelong CBD.
If you're experiencing pain, tingling or other symptoms travelling into your leg, assessment can help determine whether your presentation appears consistent with sciatica and what the appropriate next steps may be.
The Manx Myo
27 Melbourne Road
Drumcondra VIC 3215
Inside Empowered Health Chiropractic
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Not sure if it's actually sciatica?
You don't need to diagnose yourself before booking.
If back, buttock or leg symptoms are affecting your work, exercise or everyday activities, we can assess your presentation and determine an appropriate way forward.