What Is Sciatica?

Tom Jesson is a physio who has a particular interest in sciatica and in this episode, he explains exactly how your nervous system works and what sciatica is. He chats to Rob and Dave about perceptions and what you can do if you have recent onset sciatica along with the possible ways forward for those who experience chronic sciatica. Tom shares detailed but very accessible information about sciatica and what to do in this episode packed with valuable content.   KEY TAKEAWAYS The Sciatic nerve is the large nerve that runs down the back of the leg and the term sciatica is used to describe any pain connected with this nerve. All the nerves in your body are connected in a network and are very strong but also very sensitive. Once a part of your nervous system is sensitive then a range of different things can cause pain. The pain that people experience can be very different. Radicular pain is a term used to describe nerve root pain. Radiculopathy refers to a problem with the nerve root that stops it working properly A nerve tells you what is going on in the world but if it is irritated or damaged it may not send the signal. It also sends signals down from your brain to activate functions in the body. Loss of function can be caused by damage to the nerve. If someone has recent onset sciatica then it’s important to be optimistic because the body will heal if you look after your general health. Movement is good for the body and nourishes through increased blood flow to all areas.   BEST MOMENTS ‘Even if you are in pain it’s important to keep moving’ ‘It’s important that patients keep a journal so that success can be tracked over time’ ‘Give your body the right environment to get better’   VALUABLE RESOURCES The Back Pain PodcastFree Sciatica guide: www.thebackpainpodcast.com  Tom Jesson Twitter Tom Jesson Sciatica Newsletter   ABOUT THE HOSTS Dave ElliotDave is the owner of Advanced Chiropractic, a chain of Chiropractic and massage therapy clinics in Essex, UK. Dave still sees patients during the week but has been working hard to talk to as many experts in the field of back pain as possible to help distil all the information and bring it to you in this awesome podcast. You can find Dave on any of the Advanced Chiropractic social media platforms, or you can contact him @ [email protected] if you have any questions for him.-Instagram   Rob BeavenRob owns and runs a multidisciplinary clinic, The Dyer St Clinic in Cirencester Gloucestershire. His team of Chiropractors, Physiotherapists, Osteopaths, Doctors and podiatrists all collaborate on thousands of back pain patients every year. Alongside Dave, he has worked hard to bring to the table experts across all industries to give you the low down on back pain, with steps you can implement today to start feeling better.-Instagram -Twitter CONTACT METHOD Instagram Twitter Facebook [email protected]  Support the show: https://thebackpainpodcast.com