Understanding It
What Sciatica Actually Is
Sciatica is not a diagnosis in itself. It is a description of a symptom: pain following the path of the sciatic nerve, which runs from the lower back through the buttock and down the back of the leg.
The pain happens because that nerve, or one of the nerve roots feeding into it, is being irritated or compressed somewhere in the lower back. What is doing the compressing is the actual diagnosis, and it varies from person to person.
That distinction matters. Two people with identical leg pain can need quite different treatment, because the cause is different.
How does it usually present?
- Pain from the lower back or buttock travelling down one leg
- Pain that can reach the calf or foot, often described as sharp, burning or electric
- Usually one-sided, though not always
- Pins and needles, numbness or a heavy feeling in the leg or foot
- Worse with sitting, bending forward, coughing or sneezing
- Sometimes weakness in the leg or foot
- Back pain that may be milder than the leg pain, or absent entirely
Leg pain that is worse than the back pain is typical of sciatica, and is one of the features that distinguishes it from ordinary low back pain.
When to Act
When to Seek Help
See your GP or a physiotherapist if the pain is not improving after a couple of weeks, is interfering with sleep or work, keeps coming back, or is accompanied by leg weakness.Also see your GP promptly if sciatica follows a significant fall or accident, comes with fever or unexplained weight loss, or you have a history of cancer.
Seek emergency care immediately (go to your nearest emergency department) if you develop:
- Loss of bladder or bowel control, or difficulty passing urine
- Numbness around the genitals, buttocks or inner thighs (saddle numbness)
- Weakness in both legs, or rapidly worsening weakness in one leg
- Sciatica in both legs at once
Causes & Risk
What Causes It and Who Is at Risk
The most common causes are a disc bulge or herniation pressing on a nerve root, age-related narrowing of the spinal canal or the space the nerve exits through, and irritation of the nerve by surrounding structures.
Risk is higher if you sit for long periods, do heavy or repetitive lifting, have had previous episodes of back pain, are pregnant, or are carrying additional weight. It becomes more common from the thirties onwards, and disc-related causes become less common with age while narrowing-related causes become more common.
Most episodes improve over weeks to months. Ongoing or recurring symptoms are worth assessing properly rather than waiting out.
How We Help
How Our Team Can Help
Our physiotherapists and osteopaths assess what is driving your symptoms rather than treating the leg pain in isolation. That means looking at your spine, your movement, your strength, and the activities that provoke and ease the pain.
Treatment may include:
- Hands-on manual therapy to reduce pain and improve movement
- Graded exercise to restore strength and mobility without flaring symptoms
- Advice on positions, sitting, sleeping and lifting that reduce nerve irritation
- Guidance on staying active: prolonged rest generally slows recovery
- A home program you can continue between appointments
- Referral back to your GP where imaging, medication review or specialist input may be warranted
Physiotherapy
Hands-on manual therapy, graded exercise, nerve-irritation-reducing advice, and a home program to continue between appointments.
Osteopathy
Manual therapy and graded movement work, with practical advice on sitting, sleeping and lifting.
Remedial Massage
Sometimes used alongside where muscular tension is contributing.
We work within the evidence, and we will tell you honestly if we think your symptoms need medical review rather than manual therapy.
Starting Out
What to Expect at Your First Appointment
Your clinician will ask about how the pain started, where it travels, what makes it better or worse, and how it is affecting your day. They will examine your back and legs, test movement, strength, reflexes and sensation, and screen for the warning signs listed above.
You will get an explanation of what is likely going on, an initial treatment, and a clear plan: including a realistic view of how long recovery may take depending on your specific presentation. Appointments are available in clinic at Roxburgh Park or in your home across our service areas.
Ready to book?
Ready to get started?
Contact inOne Healthcare on 1300 765 456 or submit a referral online. Sciatica is most commonly managed by our Physiotherapy and Osteopathy teams, with Remedial Massage sometimes used alongside.
info@inonehealthcare.com.au
Flexible Options
Funding we accept.
Medicare
NDIS
Support at Home
TAC
Private
Free 20min Consultation
Unsure what support you need, or have funding enquiries? Book a free 20-minute telehealth consultation with our team.