Physical Therapy for Sciatica

Physical therapy for sciatica is one of the most common and popular conservative medical treatment options. Physical therapy consists of exercises and stretches which help to restore function and increase mobility and strength. While physical therapy is crucial for many patients who are recovering from injury or surgery, it is generally not known to produce good results as a stand alone treatment for chronic sciatica.

Physical Therapy for Sciatica Pain

Sciatica patients who employ physical therapy as part of a combined care approach often enjoy temporary pain relieving benefits. This is not because the therapy is so successful in dealing with sciatic nerve pain, but more often due to the misdiagnosis of the actual underlying symptomatic complaint. Most sciatica is blamed on a herniated disc or spinal osteoarthritis process, which makes it very unclear how physical therapy is supposed to relieve the pain. Exercise therapy will surely not do anything to change the spinal anatomy, heal a herniation or eliminate osteophyte growth… However, being that most forms of sciatica are caused by ischemia, rather than a spinal abnormality, physical therapy suddenly becomes a far more sensible consideration, since it raises the amount of oxygen in the blood. This increased circulation temporarily staves off the effects of oxygen deprivation sciatica, providing the short term relief most patients report from a physical therapy session.

Physical Therapy for Sciatica Treatment

Many patients who have been functionally limited for an extended time, really come to depend on their trusted physical therapist. It is obvious that the relationship between therapist and patient is at least as important as the treatment itself. Ongoing physical therapy is cost prohibitive and most patients will stay in a program for a matter of weeks. If results are not up to expectations, patients are commonly referred to more drastic methods of treatment. It is common for a surgical recommendation to be made if sciatica pain continues despite several attempted, but unsuccessful treatment options.

Physical Therapy for Sciatica Advice

Physical therapy is certainly a vital part of the back care industry and a valuable component of any rehabilitation program. Physical therapy is generally not a back pain cure, but often gives a clue to many misdiagnosed pain syndromes. Remember, if you have been diagnosed with a spinal explanation for your pain and receive considerable relief from physical therapy sessions, there is a good chance that your sciatica has been misdiagnosed. The most common form of chronic sciatica is certainly the ischemic variety and this is ironically, also the least often diagnosed. Exercise therapy directly counters the effects of oxygen deprivation, explaining the temporary relief. Unfortunately, within hours, the circulation decreases once again and symptoms return. If this represents your back pain experience, you should consider the idea that your pain, like many others, is actually the result of common ischemia.

Physical Therapy for Sciatica to Sciatica Home
7/19/08 Revised 12/15/09