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Got Sciatica or Low Back Pain?
Why Wait? See one of our osteopaths today 029 2070 1872
Osteopathy is both safe and effective The National Institute for Health & Clinical Excellence (NICE) advocate the use of manipulation, acupuncture and exercise as some of the most effective treatments for back pain known. We offer all of these treatments. Fast access to a health professional such as an osteopath, who can give you a full examination, a diagnosis and expert advice & treatment can be essential to speedy recovery. "The Wellfield Clinic cured a problem that I had been struggling with for a while, in just two visits. I had previously spent a lot of money elsewhere but to no avail. I highly recommend them and I know many others who have benefited from their expertise". J R Cardiff Sciatica Sciatica or sciatic pain is normally described as a pain in the leg or buttock that is caused by the low back. This is what osteopaths treat. we are prevented from saying we treat sciatica even though we can say that we treat pain in the leg caused by the low back which is the clinical definition of sciatica. It is generally easier to split sciatic pain into two groups; referred pain and nerve root pain. Referred pain usually accompanies low back pain and is often felt as a vague or aching pain in the buttock or thigh; it does not usually travel below the knee. Nerve root pain is normally more severe. It can be felt as a shooting pain in the leg that can extend below the knee and can travel into the foot or ankle. It can also be accompanied by pins and needles and occasionally numbness or weakness. More often than not there is little or no low back pain. Nerve root pain is usually due to direct pressure on to one of the large nerves in the back. Osteopaths are trained to diagnose and treat this type of condition. 40% of our patients come to us suffering with sciatica and back pain. Getting an early expert opinion from someone like an osteopath can be very helpful. We are always willing to discuss your problem and your treatment options over the phone so call us for a chat. 029 2019 0040 I had been suffering with lower back pain for over a year and after visiting the Wellfield Osteopathic Clinic on only 3 occasions I was amazed that the pain disappeared! I couldn't recommend them enough, truly exceptional. N P Cardiff Low Back Pain Low back pain can be a very painful and distressing condition that will affect most people at some point in their lives. It is most prevalent between the ages of 35 and 55 with the incidence decreasing after that. The important thing to remember is that the vast majority of low back pain is benign, should not last very long and will eventually get better. Expert advice and guidance can help reduce recurrence and duration. Osteopaths are experts in the field of back pain and contribute to the development of most of the current guidelines on the management of low back pain at Welsh, UK and European levels, all of which advocate the use of manipulation. However this is not the only technique that osteopaths may use acupuncture, mobilisation, soft tissue techniques, such as massage, articulation, exercise and good management advice are all key in helping back pain sufferers get back to normal as quickly as possible and help reduce future occurrence. There can be many reasons for the onset of back pain; the three most common of these are disc problems, facet joint problems and sacro-iliac jointproblems. Disc problems can occur throughout your life, coming and going at different periods. They generally last weeks to months, depending on the level of damage and management of the condition. There is normally a genetic component to this type of back pain so one or both of your parents may be a back pain sufferer. A very small percentage of people with disc problems may go on to prolapse the disc' (slipped disc) which can cause it to impinge on a nerve and cause excruciating leg pain. The back pain can often go and you may be left with just the leg pain, this can take six weeks or more to abate but full recovery is usual. However a very small percentage may need to be referred for surgery. Facet joint and sacro-iliac joint problems can be just as painful and debilitating as disc problems. However they usually don't last as long and don't normally have the same complications such as nerve impingement. They usually occur less often and are normally better within six weeks. Occasionally back pain can become chronic. This does make it harder to treat but in most cases we can restore more normal function and make life more bearable for the chronic low back pain sufferer. There can be many other causes for low back pain such as muscle sprains and ligament strains, to name but a few. However, these are quite rare and your osteopath will endeavour to find the cause of your pain and either treat or refer for imaging, such as X ray or MRI scans, or to the most appropriate health professional, although this is not normally necessary. General advice is to remain active and in work. However this is not always possible and your osteopath may need to provide you with an off work certificate or provide advice for modified work and life activities. We will generally advise people to do "little and often". Moving around more often will stop your back from seizing up and help the blood flow through the area, this will normally reduce your healing time. If you cannot move about or go to work then a couple of days rest is really the most you should take and if in doubt you should always get the opinion of an appropriately trained health professional. Obviously it is very difficult to be specific so if you have any questions or queries please call the clinic. There is no need to suffer. Call for an appointment now. 029 2070 1872 |
What Our Patients Say
I had been suffering with lower back pain for over a year and after visiting the Wellfield Osteopathic Clinic on only 3 occasions I was amazed that the pain disappeared! I couldn't recommend them enough, truly exceptional. N P Cardiff I hurt my back earlier this year in the Brecon Beacons, sledging with the kids. I was very impressed with my treatment. It was both inexpensive and effective, and enabled me to drive to Scotland shortly afterwards with minimal discomfort. N J Vale of Glam See More |