what is sciatica?
the most common cause of sciatic pain is a bulging intervertebral disc, as described on our low back pain page. when a disc bulges near the sciatic nerve, inflammatory chemicals — or the pressure of the disc itself — can cause irritation or compression of the nerve.
joint degeneration from osteoarthritis, spondylosis and osteoporosis can also narrow spinal joint spaces, trapping the sciatic nerve as it exits.
what it feels like.
where the pain is
- often felt along the back of one leg
- can run from the lower back as far as the toes
- can be in the leg without also being in the back
- constant or intermittent
- worse at night
how it feels
- hot or burning sensation
- shooting
- aching
- tingling
- pins and needles
- hard to describe
triggers & relief.
makes it worse
- bending
- lifting
- prolonged sitting
- sitting with feet up
- driving
- running
- putting socks and shoes on
usually helps
- ice
- heat
- lumbar support
- medication
- changing posture
- sitting with knees bent
- exercise
how we treat it.
we start every journey with a thorough assessment — the right diagnosis is the foundation of successful treatment. depending on what we find, we typically combine several of the following:
- joint mobilisation and manipulation
- specific soft-tissue massage and mobilisation
- neural mobilisation
- progressive core stability and functional exercise rehabilitation
- postural and ergonomic advice
- muscle energy techniques
- acupuncture and dry needling
- sports and functional fascial taping
faqs.
do i need a gp referral?
no — you can book directly with us. if you're using private medical insurance (aviva, vitality, wpa, axa and others) your insurer may require a referral; check your policy before booking.
how many sessions will i need?
most patients resolve acute issues in three to six sessions. chronic or complex cases can take longer. we'll give you an honest timeline at your first assessment.
what should i bring?
something you can move in — shorts and a t-shirt for lower-limb work, a vest for shoulders. we have changing rooms if you're coming straight from work.
how soon can i be seen?
we always strive to have same-day availability, and evening and saturday morning slots are available.
