Pam R: Crippling Sciatica on the Mend

Pam R came to us with crippling sciatica that was severely limiting her mobility and quality of life. After assessment and a targeted treatment programme, her sciatica began to resolve.

We received this lovely testimonial from one of our patients, Pam:

"I came to Spine Plus in constant pain and desperate, unable to stand up straight, with crippling sciatica down my leg and my ability to stand or walk reduced to almost no time at all. I couldn't sleep and I was popping painkillers round the clock - feeling at my wit's end. These guys have genuinely been a godsend to me through the last few months and brought me back to life. I've been in the hands of three amazing osteopaths hellbent on making me better, and I really reap the benefits of their determination. Juan saw me for some early care and he was urged me to get an MRI scan immediately and was then firm with me about the required course of treatment, given that usual manual manipulation had not worked. He got me signed up for for a course of IDD treatment. I was sceptical but agreed to give it a go. Ben and Akin have been seeing me through my IDD and other treatment for the last month and I couldn't be more grateful to them. I see improvement week to week and they have kept my spirits up, and given me sound advice about exercise, rehab, posture and diet to help my recovery along. Both Akin and Ben are very personable and bring the human touch to their excellent expertise. Honestly, I couldn't recommend these guys more."

Sciatica: When It's Severe

Sciatica ranges from a mild ache to debilitating pain that makes walking, sitting, and sleeping extremely difficult. When sciatica is severe, it's usually because of significant nerve root compression, often from a disc bulge or herniation at L4/L5 or L5/S1.

At this level of severity, treatment needs to be targeted at the specific cause. Generic manual therapy or exercise is unlikely to be sufficient.

Treatment Approach for Severe Sciatica

For severe disc-related sciatica, our approach combines:

• IDD spinal decompression to reduce pressure on the affected nerve root
• Medical acupuncture and dry needling to reduce paraspinal muscle spasm
• TECAR therapy to reduce neurogenic inflammation around the nerve root
• Progressive core stabilisation to support the spine as the disc heals

When sciatica is crippling, a multifaceted approach addressing both the structural cause and the neural inflammation consistently produces better outcomes than any single treatment.

Call us on 020 8506 1000 to discuss your sciatica.