Heavitree Osteopaths Exeter

The term sciatica means that the sciatic nerve is being compressed somewhere along its pathway. This is used to describe a group of symptoms. There are many possible causes of sciatica, some of the most common are due to a bulging or prolapsed disc.
Causes and Symptoms
The disc can cause mechanical compression directly on the sciatic nerve or the inflammation caused by the damaged disc can lead to irritation of the sciatic nerve. This pinched nerve can lead to very painful symptoms. Severe pain shooting down the leg is most common. This is often accompanied by altered sensation and even muscle weakness. If this weakness gets worse, consult your doctor. Any alteration in bladder or bowel function (i.e. loss of sensation when going to the toilet) means urgent medical care is needed. Acute back pain is also common due to damage to the disc.
People often describe this as a slipped disc. This is a misleading description. What actually happens is that the pulpy contents of the disc bulge out, pressing on one of the spinal nerves. The bulge itself can be painful and cause localised back pain. This is often referred to as discogenic pain. If it presses on a spinal nerve as it exits the spinal canal, pain can be felt in a more distant area such as the arm, leg, hand or foot.

Arthritis can cause sciatic type symptoms as little bony growths can cause compression on the nerve. This can be due to previous injuries or just the normal process of ageing. Symptoms gradually get worse over longer periods of time and after being in certain positions for prolonged periods.
However, it does not have to be as serious as a slipped disc or arthritis to cause sciatica. Minor muscle tightness can press on the sciatic nerve which can cause severe pain down the leg. Reasons for this can range from sitting in a chair with poor support to compensation due to pain in the knee or ankle.
Treatment
Treatment is totally dependent on what the underlying problem is. If the cause is a muscle then it is normally very straightforward to treat and recovery time is quick. If the sciatica is due to disc damage, treatment initially has to be fairly conservative. Emphasis is placed on restoring some movement within the spine and reduce pain. This is a very important stage as studies have found getting moving sooner is better for long term recovery. Your osteopath can aid your movements in many ways but not necessarily by working the affected area. Working higher up in the back and through the hips can help your body to compensate and adapt. Advice regarding your posture and, gradually, stretches and rehabilitation exercises will be introduced.

Osteopathy can help with many types of headache. An example of these is cervicogenic (neck based) headaches. The pain typically begins at the back of the head. It then radiates to the forehead with associated neck tenderness caused by referral from bony, muscular, blood vessels or nerve structures of the neck.
Causes
Headaches can occur for many reasons, such as stress, whiplash injury, trauma playing a sport and even postural strain due to poor ergonomic set up at work. There are two main indicators for this type of headache: an increased tenderness just below the skull and an increase of pain caused by neck or head movements.
Our osteopaths will evaluate your condition by taking a full case history and examining your neck. This establishes if there is a problem that can be helped. We can also advise on whether further investigation is required.
For example, an office worker who had debilitating headaches came to see us. He described the pain beginning at the top of his neck and spreading to his forehead and behind his eyes. It transpired that he had had a car accident years ago, and the back of his head struck the headrest of his seat. The headaches had slowly progressed over time to the point where he had to take pain killers and have time off work.
Treatment
After carrying out all the routine tests, we examined his neck and found the area just between his skull and neck acutely tender. It took several treatments stretching the soft tissues and the joints in the neck before the headaches resolved.
Fortunately, most patients’ headaches presenting to the practice are treatable, and there often is a solution for this debilitating condition.

Osteopaths spend a vast amount of their time dealing and helping with the pain and suffering caused by arthritis. Many people mistakenly assume that they must learn to live with their arthritic pains and symptoms. This is not true. Pain relief and lifestyle management can improve the quality of life for arthritis sufferers.
There are many types of arthritis. The most common one we see is osteoarthritis, which is associated with the phrases “wear and tear” and “pain you just have to live with when you get older”.
Causes
Osteoarthritis can be caused by many factors. Some of these can include previous injury, excessive stress on one area and poor posture. These changes in the joints, soft tissue and bones can cause pain, reduced range of motion, reduced muscle strength and impaired quality of life by limiting normal daily activities.
Treatment
Exercise
Nutrition
Education
Manual therapy (this is where we come in)
Weight loss
Our Osteopaths will help and advise you on all these treatment approaches.
Weight loss is particularly a priority if osteoarthritis is present in weight-bearing joints such as hips and knees.
In all of the above osteopathy can be aimed to reduce the pain, decrease joint swelling, increase mobility and improve joint stiffness. This can be particularly helpful in the morning. Treatment may consist of joint mobilisation, joint manipulation and soft tissue massage.
On average we would like to see our patient weekly until the symptoms are manageable. Then we recommend a monthly treatment pattern. Eventually, we would hope to slowly space out treatments even more. However, this is determined by the severity of osteoarthritis and how our patient responds to treatment.