Lumbar radiculopathy (also known as sciatica or lumbar radiculitis) is a condition in which a nerve in your low back is injured, pinched, or compressed, causing pain or other symptoms that can extend from your low back to your hip, leg, or foot. Lumbar radiculopathy can be caused by a sudden injury or long-term stress on the back’s tissues. It primarily affects adults between the ages of 30 and 50. Repeated lifting, participation in weight-bearing activities, obesity, smoking, sedentary lifestyles, and bad posture are all risk factors for lumbar radiculopathy. The majority of lumbar radiculopathy and sciatica cases respond favourably to physiotherapy and can be treated without surgery. Physiotherapists provide tailored treatment plans to help persons with lumbar radiculopathy relieve discomfort, recover normal movement, and resume daily activities.
What is Sciatica?
The spine is made up of 33 bones (vertebrae) placed on top of one another. Nerve roots and nerves escape the spinal canal and proceed to the hips, legs, and feet through holes in the bone on the sides of each vertebra. A portion of cartilage called a “intervertebral disc” sits between each vertebra and functions as a cushion between them.
Nerves and nerve roots can be irritated or injured by injuries near to the spine. The following are examples of possible injuries:
- Bulging intervertebral discs (“herniated or prolapsed disc”)
- Overstretching of a nerve or nerve root
- Tight piriformis muscle
The following conditions can cause lumbar radiculopathy to develop over time:
- Bone spurs
- Arthritis
- Inflammation
A fall, lifting an object awkwardly, or trauma such as a vehicle collision can all result in a sudden injury. Ligaments and nerves, which surround the spine, can be harmed as well.
Sitting or standing with bad posture (slumped forward) for weeks, months, or years can cause lumbar radiculopathy to develop slowly. Poor posture can cause ligaments in the back to stretch out, putting pressure on a spinal nerve. As the strain on the nerve rises, the pain might spread further along the nerve’s course, causing discomfort in the hip, leg, or foot.
How Does it Feel?
Lumbar radiculopathy can result in pain, muscle tightness and weakness, as well as other signs and symptoms. The discomfort typically begins in the low back and spreads to the hip, leg, and foot. The discomfort might be anywhere in the back, depending on which nerve is impacted and how much it is stimulated. The discomfort spreads farther as the irritation increases. Spreading discomfort typically affects one leg, although it can also affect both. Pain and other symptoms might be persistent or intermittent, and their intensity can vary.
When a nerve or nerve root is pinched or crushed sufficiently, it can result in significant discomfort, muscular weakening, and mobility issues. In more serious cases, surgery may be recommended. Nerve compression can cause bladder control or bowel function issues in rare cases, in which case emergency surgery is advised.
Your Physiotherapist at Physiotouch Courtice can help you figure out the specifics of your condition and whether or not you need to see a surgeon. Your physiotherapist will collaborate with your doctor or surgeon to decide the best course of action for you.
Signs and Symptoms of Sciatica
Lumbar radiculopathy can manifest itself in a variety of ways. The nature and location of your symptoms will be determined by the amount of pressure applied to the nerve in question (s). Among the signs and symptoms are:
- Pain and/or pressure in the back, hip, leg(s), foot/feet
- Pain that can be throbbing, aching, shooting, sharp, dull, or burning
- Inability to bend or rotate the back
- Numbness or tingling in the back, hip(s), leg(s), or feet
- Weakness in the leg(s)
- Increased pain when coughing, sneezing, reaching, or sitting
- Inability to stand up straight; being “stuck” in a position such as stooped forward
- Difficulty getting up from a chair
- Inability to remain in 1 position for a long period of time, such as sitting or standing, due to pain
- Pain that is worse in the morning
- Limping when walking
The pain or other symptoms can affect one or both limbs. They may appear in different places at different times, and their placement may alter based on your activities or body position. Walking against sitting, or lying down versus standing up, for example, can cause pain to reduce or intensify.
Diagnosis
At Physiotouch Courtice, your physiotherapist will do a full evaluation, which will involve taking your medical history. Your physiotherapist will also inquire about your injury in depth, such as:
- Do you have loss of control of your bladder or bowel? CAUTION: Contact a medical professional immediately if you experience this condition.
- How and when did the pain start?
- At what time of day is it worse?
- What type of discomfort do you feel, and where do you feel it?
- What are you unable to do right now in your daily life due to the pain?
Your physiotherapist will run tests on your body to see if there are any issues, such as:
- Difficulty moving
- Muscle weakness or tightness
- Changes in skin sensation (numbness)
- Changes in reflexes
- Joint stiffness
- Changes in posture
- Difficulty walking or balancing
If any of the aforementioned difficulties are discovered by your physiotherapist at Physiotouch Courtice, physiotherapy treatment may begin right immediately to assist you get back to your daily activities.
If the results of your tests raise any concerns, your physiotherapist will discuss the necessity for more diagnostic testing, such as magnetic resonance imaging, with your doctor or surgeon (MRI). Physiotherapists collaborate closely with physicians and other health-care professionals to ensure that you get the best diagnosis, treatment, and care possible.
Sciatica Treatment
Conservative intervention (such as Physiotherapy) often produces better and faster results than surgery or pain medication in all except the most severe cases of lumbar radiculopathy (such as opioid medication).
Your Physiotherapist at Physiotouch Courtice will work with you to develop a treatment plan that includes exercises and treatments that you can do at home to help you heal faster. Physiotherapy will assist you in resuming your normal activities and lifestyle. When a correct posture, pain reduction, stretching, and strengthening programme is applied, the time it takes to repair the condition varies, but on average, improvement can be obtained in 8-12 weeks.
Your physiotherapist may urge you to do the following during the first 24 to 48 hours after receiving a diagnosis of lumbar radiculopathy:
- Protect the area by avoiding activity that causes worsening symptoms, such as heavy lifting.
- Avoid too much bed rest.
- Stay active around the house, and go on short walks several times per day. Movement will decrease your pain and stiffness, and help you feel better.
- Apply ice packs to the affected area for 15 to 20 minutes every 2 hours.
- Sit in firm chairs. Soft couches and easy chairs may make your problems worse.
- Consult with a physician for further services, such as medication or diagnostic tests.
Some workouts are more beneficial for people who have lumbar radiculopathy. They will be explained to you by your physiotherapist.
Book your appointment Today! If you require alternate appointment times, please contact us and we will gladly assist you with your reservation.
What to Expect on Your First Visit:
- At Physiotouch Courtice, you will register with our friendly front office staff.
- A comprehensive assessment by a Physiotherapist or other Health Care Provider will take you through a detailed history of your major physical concern, assessment of your range of motion and strength, as well as a variety of special tests specific to your injury or dysfunction. These assessment findings are analyzed and used to create a clinical impression. This will help us to better identifying and understanding your problem and formulating an effective treatment plan tailored specifically for your needs and to achieve the realistic goals. This treatment plan could involve a number of things including therapeutic exercises, therapeutic modalities, manual mobilizations, massage, patient and family education, activity modification, home exercise programs, supervised exercise programs and many others.
- There will be some treatments performed the first day to get you started on your path to recovery. However, during the next visits you will get into all aspects of your treatment plan.
- Our staff will help you scheduling your next visits at Physiotouch Courtice as per treatment plan recommended by related Health Care Provider. We offer many convenient appointment times, however, prime times can become busy, so it is best to book ahead as much as possible.
- If you have any questions at any time, please do not hesitate to call. We want to ensure your satisfaction and full recovery.
Before Your First Visit
- You will receive a confirmation email shortly after booking your appointment.
- This email will contain some forms which you can fill out and sign from your device in handy.
- If you have any questions, ask us before signing the form.
- If you are not able to access the forms online, please arrive 15 minutes early for your first appointment so that we can help you with the paperwork.
- Make a list of questions that you want to discuss on your first visit.
- Bring with you if you have any imaging reports (i.e.) X-rays, Ultrasound/MRI (etc.) and doctor’s referral.
- Bring with you a copy of your insurance card and a photo ID.