Rainham Physio Centre

GIFT VOUCHERS

If  you are stuck for a gift idea, than why not get your loved ones a Sports Massage voucher for £15,00 or a Physiotherapy gift voucher at £25,00. Ring the Rainham Physiotherapy Centre on 01634 377638 for further details.

SPECIAL OFFER £15.00 SPORTS MASSAGE

Are you currently training for the marathon or involved in sports, then why not book in for a sports massage as an aid to injury prevention or just treat yourself or a loved one to a relaxing massage. Dave,our visiting sports masseur is currently offering sports massage at £15.00. Ring 01634 377638 for further details

SCIATICA

Sciatica is the name given to any sort of pain that is caused by irritation or compression of the sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve is the longest nerve in your body. It runs from the back of your pelvis, through your buttocks, and all the way down both legs, ending at your feet. When something compresses or irritates the sciatic nerve, it can cause a pain that radiates out from your lower back and travels down your leg to your calf . The pain can range from being mild to very painful. A slipped disc is the most common identified cause of sciatica.

 

Types of Sciatica

·         Acute Sciatica, which lasts up to six weeks

·         Persistent (chronic) Sciatica, which lasts longer than six weeks

 

Most cases of acute sciatica will pass without the need for treatment. A combination of self-help measures such as over-the-counter painkillers, gentle exercise and hot or cold packs can usually relieve the symptoms.

For persistent sciatica, you may be advised to visit a one of our expert chartered physiotherapist who will advise a structured exercise programme  with manual therapy including massage and perhaps acupuncture.

 

Outlook

Most people find their sciatic pain goes away naturally within a few days or weeks. However, see your GP if:

·         you experience any other symptoms together with your back and leg pain, such as weight loss or loss of bladder or bowel control

·         you experience increasingly more pain and discomfort

·         your pain is too severe to manage with self-help measures

In these cases, your GP should check whether there is a more serious problem causing your pain.

 

 

Symptoms of sciatica 

Sciatic pain can range from being mild to very painful and can last for weeks or months. If it lasts for more than six weeks, it is considered persistent (chronic) sciatica.

Sciatica is different to general back pain. The pain of sciatica hardly affects the back at all but radiates out from the lower back, down the buttocks and into one or both of the legs, right down to the calf.

The pain often gets worse over time and may also be made worse by:

·         sneezing, coughing or laughing (impulse pain)

·         standing or sitting for a long period of time

·         bending

 

Other symptoms

If you have sciatica, you may also experience the following symptoms around your legs and feet:

·         numbness

·         tingling

·         muscle weakness 

·         loss of tendon reflexes

·          

When to seek emergency help

Seek immediate medical help by calling 999 for an ambulance if you experience the following symptoms:

·         numbness in your bottom, lower back and leg

·         loss of bladder and/or bowel control

·         feeling of weakness in your leg and foot

These symptoms may be signs of a rare condition known as cauda equina syndrome.

 

Slipped (or herniated) disc

 

A slipped (or herniated) disc is the most common identified cause of sciatica.

Your spine is made up of vertebrae, discs and nerves. Vertebrae are the blocks of bone that make up the structure of your spine and protect the nerves.

The vertebrae are supported and cushioned by discs. The discs are made from a tough, fibrous case that contains a softer gel-like substance. A slipped disc occurs when the outer part of the disc ruptures (splits), allowing the gel inside to bulge and protrude outwards between the vertebrae. When this presses against the sciatic nerve, it can cause sciatica.

As a person gets older the discs start to become harder, tougher and more brittle. Repeated strain on the back means there is a greater chance of a hardened disc splitting and rupturing.

 

Spinal stenosis

Spinal stenosis is the narrowing of nerve passages in the spine. It occurs when the bones, ligaments or discs of the spine squash the nerves of the spine (usually the sciatic nerve) causing pain, usually in the lower back and legs. It usually affects people in late middle age and older.

 

Causes of spinal stenosis include:

·         age-related changes in the spine

·         changes in the ligaments of the spine

·         diseases of the bone, such as Paget’s disease

.

Other causes

Less commonly, sciatica may be caused by:

·         infection

·         injury

·         a growth within the spine, such as a tumour

Cauda equina syndrome

Cauda equina syndrome is a rare but serious condition that can cause sciatica. The cauda equina is the bundle of nerves  that lead out from the end of the spinal cord. Cauda equina syndrome occurs when these nerves are compressed and damaged.

It can eventually lead to paralysis if left untreated.

One of the warning signs of cauda equina syndrome is suddenly losing control of your bladder or bowels. If this happens, see a doctor immediately.

 

 

Treating acute sciatica

Most cases of acute sciatica can be treated at home with the use of painkillers and some exercise that can be prescribed by our physiotherapist.

Painkillers

Over-the-counter painkillers are usually effective in relieving pain. Painkillers known as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen, are thought to work best. NSAIDs may not be suitable if you have asthma, high blood pressure, liver disease, heart disease or a history of stomach and digestive disorders. In these circumstances, paracetamol is likely to be a more suitable painkiller for you. Your GP or pharmacist will be able to advise you.

 

Exercise

If you have sciatica, it is important for you to remain as physically active as possible. While bed rest may provide some temporary pain relief, prolonged bed rest may be unnecessary. Recommended exercises include Pilates based exercises  reinforced with postural advise

.

 

Compression packs

Many people find that using either hot or cold compression packs helps to reduce pain. You can make your own cold compression pack by wrapping a package of frozen food in a towel. Hot compression packs are usually available from larger pharmacies. You may find it effective to use one type of pack after another.

 

TREATMENT

 

Chronic sciatica usually requires a combination of self-help techniques and medical treatment. Treatment options are outlined below.

 

Painkillers

The long-term use of NSAIDs as a method of controlling pain is not usually recommended because they can cause problems with your stomach and digestive system, such as ulcers or internal bleeding.

If you need pain relief over a long time, the painkillers listed below may be used:

·         paracetamol

·         codeine (paracetamol is often prescribed in combination with codeine)

·          

Exercise and Physiotherapy

As with acute sciatica, if you have chronic sciatica you should try to remain as physically active as possible because this will reduce the severity of your symptoms. It is also recommended that you continue to work or return to work as soon as possible.

Regular exercise will help to strengthen the muscles that support your back. Exercise also stimulates the production of endorphins, which are natural painkilling chemicals.

Visiting one of our expert physiotherapist will recommend a suitable exercise plan for you. Our expert  physiotherapists  can teach you a range of exercises that strengthen the muscles( Pilates based ) that support your back and improve the flexibility of your spine. Our physiotherapists can also teach you how to improve your posture and reduce any future strain on your back.

 

Further tests

Depending on your symptoms, our physiotherapist  may feel it is necessary to have further tests These may include:

·         a blood test to rule out infections

·         an X-ray

·         imaging tests such as a computerised tomography (CT) scan or a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan

 

if you have a back problem which is not resolving, why not give one of our expert physiotherapists at the Rainham Physiotherapy Centre a  ring on 01634 377638 for advise or an appointment

.

(This information is intended solely for the purpose of providing general information; it is not intended to be, nor is it to be treated as, a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of Chartered Physiotherapist or GP for any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.)

MARATHON RUNNING INJURY PREVENTION

With the London Marathon approaching in April, it is nice to see so many local people taking part and trying to raise money for charity. Some of these include people like Andy Hessenthaler, the director of football at Gillingham Football Club and Nicky Southall who is now playing for Whitstable, both of whom are being guided by the expertise of the club physiotherapists. However, there are a lot of people out there who have not got the benefit of expertise from a physiotherapist and have started to get injuries as has been proven by the large amounts of running  injuries I have seen at my practice in Rainham in the last week.

 

These injuries are all lower limb injuries and are either the result of over use or not listening to your body.Majority could have been prevented by following simple advice. Here are just a few tips that might help the novice runner in getting through the Marathon without causing any injuries:

 

·         Stretching-Make sure you stretch property, especially during and after the run. Many runners make the common mistake of stretching before a run when the muscles are cold and this doesn’t necessary bold well as you might be stretching muscles that are cold and that can result in injury. So at the beginning of a Marathon run for the first two to  three miles just walk and jog and do some light stretches to help warm up and then you can work into deeper stretches as you build up into the run. But make sure that at the end of the run you have a good stretch down and cool down

 

·         Footwear-Make sure that your training shoes are well fitted. generally a running shoe should be changed every 300 to 500 miles and if you are changing into a new pair of shoes make sure you wean into them ie. wear them for 10 minutes one day building up to 20 minutes the next and gradually build up so that you have them on for two to three hours every day so they accommodate around your ankle/foot shape. Ill fitting shoes can cause blisters, stresses on the ankles and knees leading to injuries.

 

·         Don’t change your route Keep to your same running route and gradually build up the distance. changing your running route to drastically can cause an overload on the tissues and lead to injuries.

 

·         Fluid intake -Make sure you take on enough fluid .don’t run on a bloated tummy but take a fluid bottle with you so that you can generally have little sips as you run keeping yourself well hydrated. Dehydrated tissue will tire a lot quicker and stiffen up resulting in injuries.

 

·         Food uptake- Make sure that your carbohydrate intake is high, generally a diet of 60% carbohydrate 30 % protein and 10% fat will help the body recover properly. Eating lots of fruit and vegetables feeds the body the nutrients it needs to take the pounding of day to day training. Pasta, breads will also help in recovery and also help prevent injury.

 

·         Rest-Make sure you get enough rest and sleep. Rest and sleep will help any minor injuries heal and will also help to flush out lactic acid which can lead to injuries.

 

·         Medical advice- At any stage should you feel a tweak or twinge in any part of the muscle stop your running and seek the expert opinion of a professional physiotherapist. A minor strain now can be healed with treatment but if you continue to run and this strain becomes more of a tear then the chances of you running in the marathon are greatly reduced and also hoping to achieve a personal best will be markedly hampered.

 

·         Sports massage- Make sure you get regular massages this can be performed by a professional sports masseur ( Dave Morris at Rainham physiotherapy centre is more than happy to help) down to your partner but as long as the massage is being done it can eliminate some minor knots in the muscle and also help to remove any extra aches that may cause pains and problems.

 

I hope some of these simple tips will help you to manage achieving your goal of running the marathon but should you have any queries please contact me on 01634 377638 at Rainham Physiotherapy Centre and I am more than happy to offer advice.

 

 

 

(This information is intended solely for the purpose of providing general information; it is not intended to be, nor is it to be treated as, a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of Chartered Physiotherapist or GP for any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.)