Sciatica

[BobTheBitch]

Hey everyone-I looked thru the postings but could not find one for
SCIATICA
New client-seeing him tomorrow. Talked to him several times, he is a dentist, had plantar fascitis and sciatica. I pointed out his looking new sneakers and asked if that might be the cause of his plantar fascitis plus suggested some stretches. Well that worked like a charm and he was so excited that he asked me to come work on his sciatica. errr..sciatica
So difficult to treat, so hard to explain to the client! I know it's not from injury as I talked to him about that at some length and I do think it is repetitive use related as he is a Very busy dentist. Any thoughts about things that have worked for anyone--including eo's.
Thanks

 

[Charmed]

Sciatica

I know it's not from injury as I talked to him about that at some length and I do think it is repetitive use related as he is a Very busy dentist. Any thoughts about things that have worked for anyone--including eo's.
Thanks

Not repetitive? What does he look like when he is working? Is he siting down with a neutral spine? Or do you think he is leaning forward to work on his patients? Does he stand when working? Is his trunk slightly rotated to get a better angle into the patient's mouth? Think about his positioning from patient to patient.

What works for me in treatment is to decompress L5-S1, release the SI joints, make sure the QLs and psoas are balanced and check in with piriformis. Sometimes I have to work the nerve itself from the lumbar down releasing its fascial sheath.

Brian

 

[sokokl]

Thank you Brian-quite similar to what I do, I will write that down an dwork it out with my hands before I get there! I think it is repetitive, I am going to watch him as he does his dentist thing and see. He's also a runner

 

[Master Mister]

Since he's a dentist, I can offer a side note. Most are right handed, and if I recall correctly, the dentist I work on told me they hold the left hand static and the rigth does much of the work, which causes some nasty upper body issues.

Add on top of this, a lot of sitting and then being a runner. I am not sure what your dentist's ratio for stretching is, but at minimum I'd think that would need to be incorporated into the equation.

If he's looking to find out if he has a disc, of course, he'd need to visit him MD and get an MRI. Depending on his history and your comfort level of completely understanding what is occuring at this point in time, you may consider referring him for the testing and asking him to return with a full diagnosis.

If you are comfortable working with sciatica clients, then take a full (and I do mean full) history. Next start addressing the piriformis. Enough times what a lay person calls sciatica is a piriformis problem.

Have a great day!

 

[smelly pig]

Thanks! I kept in mind both of your comments. I took a good history, really looking for an injury in the past 3years that might point to a disc injury. His upper body was definitely the more 'screwed up'(that's medical talk.
Thanks

 

[R Nino]

I took a good history, really looking for an injury in the past 3years that might point to a disc injury.

A nice ditty I was taught some time back that you'll probably like - 80% of the of the problem can be found in the history.

I also suggest that you go further back than 3 years. Look at the clients "life".

Hope it all turns out well and that you'll respond back here with your outcome.