Sciatica is a symptom…. Period… It is a word to describe nerve pain, (so technically could occur in the arm or the leg), but people commonly use it when pain travels down the leg.

Now, over the last 17 years as an osteopath, and clinic supervisor/clinician, I have had to educate patients on the term sciatica,and argued many a time with students on this topic.

So I wanted to help ensure that you, the patient are more informed.

So here is the conundrum. Knowing you have sciatica is not enough. It does not help you or the practitioner.

The better question to ask is WHAT IS CAUSING THE SCIATICA?

You see, the key is understanding that sciatica is CAUSED by something – and THAT “something” is what you should be diagnosed with. The sciatica is merely a result of “IT”. A sign that something is wrong. Nerve Pain does not occur on its own and for no reason.

So here are the three most important things you need to know about your sciatica. Without this information it’s next to impossible to gain control over it and or manage it properly.

1. Firstly know what sciatica really is;
2. Second know the different ways it can present, so you never miss it, and
3. Thirdly know exactly what is causing it.

I have always stated that having the correct diagnosis is the absolute key to introducing the right treatment and or answering the question of how long will the recovery take. Without this a practitioner, and consequently you the patient are going in blind. This can be very costly financially, emotionally and physically.

So when someone comes in with sciatica, I want to know ways more about your symptoms to ensure that (a) it really is sciatica and not something else; and (b), why you have the sciatica.

What is sciatica

This includes leg pain due to lower back nerve or what is called the sciatic nerve being aggravated or stimulated to produce pain. Put simply the sciatic nerve is actually a bundle of nerves coming from the lower back area, that are encased into a sheath – so it looks like one bigger/thicker nerve. It takes its origins from the lower back spinal nerves and then travels all the way down from the back through the buttock, and the leg and then foot, giving off branches and dividing along the way.

Symptoms of sciatica

When patients have real sciatica it can include symptoms in the following regions – buttock, hip, hamstring area, upperleg, calf area, ankle area, or foot pain. It can also include pain in all those areas either separately (one area) or simultaneously in more areas. Generally, the lower down the sciatica travels the bigger the problem/aggravation.

The pain can be sharp, knife like, achey, pulling, throbbing, all over, or burning to name a few.

Causes of Sciatica

These can most commonly include problems in the Sacroiliac Joint, Lower back joints / facets, Disc problems (From a disc bulge, to a degenerative disc, to a disc prolapse, all irritating or pressing on the spinal nerve), or God forbid a type of space occupying lesion (something that shouldn’t be there) pressing on the spinal nerves or the nerve itself. I have been privy to seeing all of these conditions and on many occasions, and they all present in similar ways to the untrained eye.

So it is your practitioner’s role to use their skill, experience and knowledge to make sure they work this out for you. It should never be assumed.

So I hope that you can now see how important sciatica really is.

Let’s start to appreciate this very common problem in our community and give it the respect it deserves. Sciatic is a very big deal if you get it wrong. Never underestimate sciatica or use the term “it’s just sciatica”, because it can be the signs of so much more.

So as a patient:

1. Make sure what you have is in fact sciatica
2. Make sure you are clear on why your nerve is angry / what’s causing it.

Only then can you be empowered with key information to help yourself manage your own condition.

If you are unclear on either of the above two points, I encourage you to go back to your practitioner and ask the above questions. If you would like a second opinion or examination from our team to help you moving forwards, please call 9338 2585.

The post 3 Things you need to know about your Sciatica appeared first on Hume Osteopathic Clinic.

So after all the stories we have heard, we wanted to share some very costly mistakes patients are making along the recovery journey.

Its time to blow the lid on how costs to recovery add up quickly and where you can save yourself time, frustration, pain and ultimately money. Here are our top four mistakes that you can avoid and ultimately save about $2500.

1. Buying the wrong office chair before you get the right advice

It’s natural to want to help yourself and speed up your recovery, especially if it may have been highlighted to you that some form of furniture or tool that you are using is the cause of your pain.  (Firstly there is rarely ONE cause to anyone’s pain, or if there was a trauma of some kind, then I guarantee that there are numerous things keeping you in that pain cycle as we discuss in mistake number 2). This particular mistake begins when a patient goes ahead and buys a chair WITHOUT THE ADVICE of their practitioner. And when I say advice, I don’t mean, “…you should get a new chair”. You want to know exactly WHAT you are looking for in a chair, WHY YOU specifically need those things, and WHERE to get it.  By knowing what you are looking for and why, you can then apply these rules to ANY chair you are sitting on. We all sit on a variety of chairs over a course of a day, week or month, so apply the same rules to those.

Roughly $150 –  $200 is the average spend on an office chair.

2. Buying a new bed without asking anyone if you should

“My back was so sore in the mornings, I thought it was my bed, so we got a new one”.. This is always an awkward moment in the consult room, where in fact as a practitioner you discover that it wasn’t their bed at all, but rather their gardening a month earlier, plus their newer activities at work, in addition to possibly starting walking, that they feel morning pain.  But how was the patient meant to know? Its important that you seek the best advice BEFORE you invest in such a large spend.  You could save yourself thousands.  Average spend on a new double bed ranges between $1000 – $2000.

3. Blaming your pillow for your neck pain, so getting a new one

“I have changed pillows 4 times this year”. The pillow is often the straw that broke the camels back when it comes to neck pain. Rarely the main cause, but often the contributor in neck pain. But its an easy one for a patients to go out and buy, desperately looking for a solution to their pain.  If you are worried about your pillow, get some specific advice BEFORE you buy one. Again, not “you need to get a new pillow” kind of advice. Be specifically guided on what pillow would match your neck size and shape, your condition, your usual sleeping position and your bed type.   Get one wrong here, and you have just made a costly mistake.

There is an assumption that the more expensive the pillow, the better it is. This is not true. Some patients can spend $20-$30 and it be the best pillow they have ever used. There is no one size fits all.

Average spend on pillows over a year is $180 – $320.

 4. Starting your get fit / let’s lose weight program thinking it will help your neck or back pain

This sounds like the logical road to take. Get fitter, lighter and stronger and get rid of that back pain. The thing is that if you already have back pain, or neck pain or hip pain for example, this is telling you something is wrong. Going and adding extra curricular activities to a not quite right joint or area costs patients not only membership fees, sessions they will miss due to pain, but also those desperate treatments needed to get you back on track.

Its not about relying on treatment, no one should ever rely on treatments.  It’s about getting the right advice and being GUIDED back towards the right exercises, or regime to start with. This then ensures that you stay on that fitness journey for the long term and reap all those amazing benefits of your great life choice.

Average cost of memberships – $150 – $220 per year, plus add on sessions. Average cost of treatment needed to get you moving pain free again – $180-$640 per year.

Added bonus – On top of all the above, you can easily add to this the ongoing cost of treatments when the above items that are bought are the wrong ones, and then in turn contribute to your ongoing pain – say a humble 12 per year – add an average $960

Contact our team if you are thinking of purchasing a new item, or have already fallen into these payment traps and want to avoid déjà vu. We would be happy to help guide you in the right direction. Click here

Feel free to share this blog with friends you know that may be spending unnecessarily on trying to fix their pain.

The post How to save money when you have back and neck pain appeared first on Hume Osteopathic Clinic.

Well it doesn’t always have to be that way.  Specialists are busy and have a specific job to do. They have trained for years to get where they are, and have accumulated expertise and experience that is there to serve you. And they work with a team of admin staff and or nurses – so you are dealing with a few people! The trick as a patient, is making the appointment experience work for you. To specifically serve your needs…. because after all it’s a service being offered, that you are paying for.  I have been to see many a specialist and they generally all work the same way. So I speak from personal experience and also the experiences of so many of my patients in trying to change any negative experiences in an already vulnerable time. So here are the 3 must do’s for any patient waiting for their specialist appointment.

1. Documents and referral – it’s amazing how many things get “lost in the mail”. There are often a few hoops to jump through and admin staff on admin staff that communicate and sometimes systems can break down and human error can come into play.  So ensure you start the consult well.  YOU need to make sure the specialist rooms have received all the information on you PRIOR to your visit there. This includes the referral letter/s from your GP / allied health practitioner. Ensure they have all relevant tests that will help confirm or give them extra information on you, such as any blood tests, scan results, x-rays, MRI’s.

if any of these are missing – Call up the original suppliers if need be, and ask that they send such information to your destination specialist. Alternatively, or in addition send them a copy of the one you have PRIOR to your visit, in case they have time to read it and set the scene for your visit. Or ask the GP for a copy of what they send if the GP is willing to give you one.

2. Research your own condition. At the end of the day you are the master and guide of your own health, and its best to take some control into your own hands. It’s unwise to be passive and just assume the practitioner in front of you is amazing. (we all know what happens when we ass-u-me things J ) Of course we expect them to know their stuff, but imagine if you had some clues and can be more on the same page same page? You can then ask better questions and get great information – not just good information.

Every individual is unique in their behaviours and approaches, and a specialist is no different. They are human with a particular make up, and its pot luck regarding the elements of their service you will receive, as is the case with any service provider. So write a list of questions on how you think or can see this condition affecting your life. Some examples – How long til it goes? Why me? What else can I do to help? Options to recovery? Their opinion on return to x/y/z. And whatever else is bothering you.

3. Follow up – The “What next” question is one of THE biggest questions that you need to know the answer to. You don’t want to be bumped around the system or assume it’s all done and dusted and be left to your own devices. When it comes to back pain or hip pain, this can be the case, as there are so many people treating you – who’s the head honcho guide on top of everything? If you have homework to do, then stay accountable by making a follow up with the specialist so they can check you and see how you are going. Who else do you need to specifically see to help you with your condition? Will the specialist write a referral to this next person – a manual therapist for example?  You want EVERYONE treating you on the same page. This is your body, and you only get one. So see your recovery or action plan to the end, what-ever that may look like.

Whether your referral is booked in within the week or within 4 months – follow the above tips to make that consult a really productive one. You have an expert in front of you, so this is your chance to ask all those relevant questions face to face and questions that have meaning to you and your life.

1. Check that all the documents are ready and available for the Doctor at the specialist rooms
2. Research your own condition and write down questions that are bothering you on how it effects your life
3. Follow up and action plan – avoid being left in the lurch. Know what the next steps for you are. Time is always critical.

Download the Specialist appointment PDF template, fill it out, and take it with you so you are prepared as you can be for this important consult – one that you are often waiting a while for!

The post How to get the best out of your next specialist visit appeared first on Hume Osteopathic Clinic.