The Cause Of Dull, Achy, Annoying Pain In The Buttock, Hamstring, or Calf
There are two types of leg pain… REFERRED and RADIATING. leg pain… OR BOTH. One is Sciatica- the other is not… but they can feel similar and be felt in the same places- in the back, buttock, hamstring, or calf area.
Referred pain is just as it sounds… pain referred or signals sent from one place to another. So, in the spine- the structures like the joints and discs in the back can send pain signals to parts of the body (other than just the back) into the buttock and down the leg. Depending on which structure is irritated will determine where you feel your symptoms… Referred pain is “non specific” and LARGER in coverage than radiating pain. It is often described as deep and achy and hard to pin point exactly…
On the other hand- Radiating pain often involves irritation or compression of the nerve in the back… often termed as sciatica. Radiating pain takes a more specific path- and is often described as electric, shooting, or burning… you might even feel numbness or tingling.
And because a herniated DISC is the number one cause of SCIATICA many people have BOTH types of pain… which can be felt in the buttock, hamstring, or calf area.
The key to solving either of these is to understand the “TRIGGERS” or the activities, things, or positions that make your back, buttock, leg, or calf pain worse. Once you understand what makes it worse- you can often make it better.
Natural treatment involves using movement as medicine to move the spine and leg in ways that reduce pressure on painful structures allowing your body to heal.
I know- complicated right? Well, if you’re in the Royersford, Limerick, Collegeville, Phoenixville, or Trappe, PA area- and have questions about back pain treatment or need specialized physical therapy- call 484 552 3767 or email charliejohnsondpt@gmail.com
There’s A 90% Chance You Have Sciatica If You Have These 5 Things.
Do you or someone you know have sciatica? OR do you THINK you have it? Most people think they have sciatica- when in actually they don't. Truth is, if you're dealing with some form of back, buttock, or leg pain- there's only a 4% chance that it's caused by sciatica. Despite what you've been told (and how it seems like everybody says they have sciatica) it's actually pretty rare. Keep reading or watch my video below to learn 5 telltale signs of sciatica, including one simple 30 second self-test to confirm if you have it.
Now, sciatica is simply an irritation of the sciatic nerve as it runs from the back, down the back of the leg, into the foot. Causes include many things like herniated discs, piriformis syndrome, and spinal stenosis. Common telltale signs that you have a problem with the sciatica nerve (sciatica) include:
1-Feelings of Numbness, Tingling, Burning, Shooting down your leg
2-And these feelings travel down your leg in a very narrow path/band (usually 1-2 inches in width that can be traced with your finger down the back of your leg).
3-And your leg pain is now worse than you back pain.
4-And you have pain below the level of the knee (maybe even into the foot).
5-Stretching the sciatic nerve is painful, limited, or uncomfortable. (watch second half of video for self movement test)
If you've got all 5 of these signs- research shows that there is a greater than 90% chance that you have sciatica as the cause of your leg pain.
The first step to relief is to find out what triggers your back pain, numbness, or tingling and modify or tweak those things. The next step is to use specific movements to reduce irritation on the nerve.
If sciatica is keeping you from doing the things you love (or just keeping you up at night) give us a call at 484-552-3767 and we can help get you back to normal.
Physical Therapy For Herniated Discs- The First Step Towards Natural Relief
Herniated Disc Treatment: Step One- A self question and answer quiz to help you get in touch with what’s going on and help you determine if you have the symptoms of a herniated disc… Knowing what could have caused your back pain, when it started and what makes it better/worse as well as where you’re feeling things- are all super important questions to know and understand.
Once we know the answers to these questions we can start to to get to the root cause of your back pain and begin treatment for you herniated disc and begin specific exercises to get you relief from your lower back pain.
Click the video below to learn how to start healing your own back..
If you live in the Philadelphia or King Of Prussia area- and are looking to get to the root cause of your pain naturally, over drugs, injections, or surgery…
Call 484 552 3767 to learn about our lower back pain treatment program.
Will My Herniated Disc Heal?
A common question people ask me (on a near daily basis) is- Can my herniated disc heal… or will I need surgery? The answer is a quick YES (meaning yes it can heal.. and NO you likely will not need surgery). This is great news- your body has an amazing ability to send specialized healing cells to the area that’s injured to help the tissue heal.
Truth is, your back is no different than a papercut… both get injured and both can heal. Now, I get it- having back pain is mysterious- most of the time we have no clue what brought it on… and even when we do- WE CAN’T SEE A THING! This can be scary… and leave us wondering what could be going on down there. In many cases- people get images to try and “figure out” what the issue is… Unfortunately- that rarely works… Why? Well, it’s been shown that there is little to no correlation between what is found on the image and what causes your pain. Who’s to say what was found on your x-ray or MRI wasn’t there 10 years ago… and you never knew about it until someone went searching for a problem.
Send your cell phone into the lab to be “swabbed” for germs… do you think they’ll find any? OF COURSE… same goes for your back. Now, do you go around worrying about all those germs… probably not. Your back is no different.
Most people can’t handle the truth (but I tell them anyways) that in many cases of lower back pain- we have no idea what the root cause it… meaning- we don’t know what’s going on.
Crazy, but true. So, if you’ve been told you have a herniated disc- take it with a grain of salt… and know that IF it actually is the source of your back pain- chances are high that it will heal up just fine within 3-6 months.
If you’re looking for quick relief- call us at 484 552 3767.
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Royersford, PA- What is Sciatica?
If you’ve got lower back pain or leg pain numbness or tingling- check this video out…
Click the video below to learn about “Sciatica”… it’s a short video that talks all about it.
WHAT IS SCIATICA?
Sciatica is numbness, tingling, burning or shooting that is felt down one or both legs in a narrow band that occurs when pressure is placed on a nerve.
WHAT DOES SCIATICA FEEL LIKE?
The most common feelings are pain, numbness, and tingling in a narrow band down the leg. Everyone is unique though… here are some common ways people may describe feelings from sciatica:
• Electric
• Burning
• Weakness
• Shocking
• Coolness
• Bee Stings
• Shooting
• Trickling Water
One lady even told me, “It feels like ants are crawling on me…”
Point being… sciatica can create many unusual and scary feelings…
Good thing is… sciatica goes away.
The number one cause of sciatica is a herniated disc- due to pressure that is placed on the nerve by the disc herniation….
People who have pain due to a herniated disc USUALLY (but not always) have pain when sitting, bending, lifting, and when going from a sitting to standing position. It may, at times, feel like it’s hard to stand up straight… OR if things are really bad- your who body might be shifted to one side (usually away from the side of the leg pain).
If this sounds like you… and you’re looking for back pain treatment or specialized physical therapy in Royersford, Collegeville, Limerick, or Phoenixville, PA? Call 484 552 3767 or email me directly at charliejohnsondpt@gmail.com