Do you or a loved one suffer from lower back pain and/or “sciatica”? If so, you won’t want to miss this episode! Luke shares an in-depth look at what causes back pain and sciatica, how to test for the various causes, and ultimately how to achieve lasting pain relief (so you can enjoy an active lifestyle!). Whether you have mild pain, moderate pain or severe pain, you’ll find this information will help you discover effective strategies for lasting pain relief.
Show Notes
During this episode, Luke covers a large scope of information related to lower back pain and sciatica, including the following major topics.
- Topic #1: What is “Sciatica” The episode kicks off with a discussion of what sciatica actually is (nerve pain running down the back of the leg) vs. what sciatica isn’t (other types of nerve pain, including pain extending into the front of the thigh. Luke explains the anatomy and location of the sciatic nerve, which is the largest nerve in your body, as well as the anatomy of the spine.
- Topic #2: The Top 3 Causes of Back Pain & Sciatica In this section, Luke explains how there are 3 primary structures that can cause back pain and sciatica, which include: bulging/herniated discs, degenerative changes and SI Joint dysfunction (SIJ). He also explains how to test each of these 3 structures to determine which of them are causing the pain.
- Topic #3: The Single Biggest Mistake Back Pain & Sciatica Sufferers Make. You may have guessed it: the biggest mistake is that people tend to IGNORE their pain for way too long, which can run the risk of more permanent and severe damage. The other mistake you should try to avoid is MASKING your pain with things like medications. Instead, try to HANDLE your pain as quickly as possible (which is explained in the next section!).
- Topic #4: What Does Successful Treatment Look Like? At Gordon PT, we take a 2-step approach to helping our clients eliminate back pain and sciatica for good. Step 1 is to determine the ROOT CAUSES(s) of the pain, and Step 2 is to design a PT program catered to these specific issues. During Step 2, we follow the “3 Phases of Recovery”, which are outlined below.
- Topic #5: The “3 Phases of Healing” Once you know the cause(s) of your back pain and sciatica, you can now move forward to treating it! In Phase 1, we focus on reducing pain and inflammation, with an emphasis on hands-on therapy and gentle exercises. In Phase 2, as pain is improving, we start to incorporate more stretches and exercises to help sustain these improvements. And in Phase 3, when pain continues to decrease, we’re looking at returning to full activity, including more demanding activities, such as jogging, hiking, sports, etc. It all depends on what you love to do!
- Topic #6: Still looking for more help? If you’d like more help getting to the root cause of your pain and achieving lasting pain relief, Luke wraps up with 2 good options.
- Option #1: If you live in the area, you can request a FREE 30-minute “Discovery Visit” with one of our PTs! During your free consultation, one of our PTs will help you do 2 things: Discover what factors are contributing to your back pain and sciatica, and determine if we’re the best ones to help you decrease your pain and increase your activity level.
- Option #2: Request a copy of Luke’s FREE report titled “The 14 Best Kept Secrets for Eliminating Back Pain” by calling the clinic at (509) 892-5442, or visit https://www.gordonphysicaltherapy.com/back-pain/ to download the report directly to your phone or computer.
Thank you for listening to the “Stay Healthy Spokane” podcast! If you have any comments/questions or ideas for future topics, please reach out to Luke at Luke@GordonPhysicalTherapy.com
