These types of reactions are rare and are estimated to occur in 1% of patients. Reactions to treatment are serious if they require emergency medical attention or if they cause long-term damage; they may be irreversible. Examples include stroke, nerve damage, muscle weakness, bowel and bladder weakness, or death. When you suffer from sciatica or a trapped nerve, the types of treatments an osteopath might give you vary widely.
Before you are given treatment, your osteopath will conduct an extensive medical history to determine if your case of sciatica is due to a previous injury, previous surgery, or emotional stress. The area surrounding the sciatic nerve or trapped nerve will then be examined to determine the exact location of the tension and pain. The goal of osteopathic treatment is to reduce or relieve the pain you experience so that you can get better function and movement throughout your body. An osteopath can help you find out what is causing the compression, what structures are involved, and the causes.
If the condition that caused sciatica or a nerve trapped in the back or neck requires more aggressive medications and treatment options, you may want to schedule an appointment with an osteopath. This means that when someone comes in and says, “I have sciatica” or “My back or buttocks hurt, but not along the nerve (down the back of my leg, possibly down to my foot), there's a very high chance it's not sciatica or a pinched nerve. Nerve impingement is a condition in which a protruding nerve root can commonly be affected by a bulging intervertebral disc (slipped disc) or be affected by common impingement sites along its course. Sciatica is a condition that affects the nerves in the lower back, which can lead to back pain.
If nerve stimulation is recommended as part of your treatment, stimulation will be performed through a portable, battery-powered muscle stimulation machine. An initial consultation usually involves the osteopath producing a complete medical history, followed by relevant spinal, orthopedic, and neurological examinations. When trying to decide which of these two healthcare providers is right for you, it's important to understand that both providers should be able to eliminate the pain you're suffering from a trapped nerve or sciatica. Although the main cause is the development of a herniated disc, anything that pinches the sciatic nerve can cause this condition.
While you may need to see an osteopath or chiropractor to learn how to perform certain stretches on your back or neck, you can try applying some gentle stretches to your daily exercise routine. To reduce symptoms, initial osteopathic treatment and the use of shoe insoles for plantar fasciitis will aim to reduce nerve compression and inflammation in surrounding structures.
Osteopaths
are experienced in many aspects of women's health, including complications that can arise during and after pregnancy. In many cases, a pinched or trapped nerve is caused by a sudden, uncomfortable movement, which means that the pain can go away on its own.Because there are many injuries and disorders that can cause “nerve impingement” or nerve damage, the osteopath's first task is to determine the exact cause of the symptoms.
