Sciatica: Causes, Symptoms and Physiotherapy Treatment in Tarragona
Sciatica causes pain that radiates from the lower back down to the leg. Discover its causes and the most effective physiotherapy treatment.
What is sciatica?
Sciatica (or sciatic syndrome) is pain that radiates along the path of the sciatic nerve, the longest and thickest nerve in the human body. This nerve originates from the lumbar nerve roots (L4-S3), passes through the buttock and descends along the back of the thigh before branching into the leg and foot.
When the sciatic nerve is compressed or irritated, it produces a characteristic pain that may feel like an electric shock, burning sensation or tingling that travels down the leg. Sciatica is not a disease in itself, but a symptom indicating that something is irritating this nerve.
Most common causes of sciatica
Compression of the sciatic nerve can occur for different reasons along its path:
- Lumbar herniated disc: the most common cause, especially at the L4-L5 and L5-S1 levels
- Lumbar spinal stenosis: narrowing of the canal through which the nerves pass
- Piriformis syndrome: compression of the nerve by the piriformis muscle in the buttock
- Spondylolisthesis: slipping of one vertebra over another
- Facet joint osteoarthritis with osteophytes compressing the nerve root
- Pregnancy: due to uterine compression and postural changes
Symptoms of sciatica
The main symptom is pain that radiates from the lower back or gluteal area down to the leg, following the path of the sciatic nerve. The pain can range from mild discomfort to severe, debilitating pain.
Typical characteristics of sciatic pain include a sensation of electric shock or burning, worsening when sitting or standing for long periods, pain that increases when coughing or sneezing, and partial relief when walking or lying down. Tingling, numbness or weakness in the affected leg may also be present.
It is important to distinguish true sciatica (with actual nerve involvement) from referred pain of muscular origin, which can mimic sciatica but has a different origin and treatment.
Physiotherapy treatment for sciatica
Sciatica treatment at Fontanet Medicina i Fisioterapia is adapted to the specific cause and the stage of the condition. Our approach combines advanced physiotherapy techniques with progressive therapeutic exercise.
Neurodynamics is a fundamental technique that involves gently mobilising the sciatic nerve to reduce its sensitisation and the adhesions that can form after compression. Manual therapy includes spinal mobilisations, piriformis muscle release techniques and decompression of areas of nerve conflict.
In cases of piriformis syndrome, dry needling of the piriformis muscle produces rapid and significant relief. For sciatica of discogenic origin, we work with directional exercises (McKenzie) and progressive core strengthening.
- Neurodynamics: neural mobilisation of the sciatic nerve
- Spinal manual therapy and myofascial release
- Dry needling of the piriformis and gluteal muscles
- McKenzie exercises for symptom centralisation
- Progressive core and gluteal strengthening
- Postural education and ergonomics
Exercises and self-care for sciatica
While undergoing treatment, there are exercises and guidelines you can follow at home to complement your physiotherapy sessions. Piriformis stretches, gentle neural mobilisation and lumbar extension exercises (if recommended by your physiotherapist) can help reduce symptoms.
Avoid sitting for prolonged periods, walk regularly within what the pain allows, and maintain postures that do not aggravate symptoms. At our centre in Tarragona, we teach you a personalised home exercise programme for each phase of your recovery.