Do you experience frequent pain in your lower back which travels to your buttocks and down the calf? If so, you are clearly suffering from sciatica. This condition makes walking, or just merely standing, such an ordeal. Dorn therapy is a form of holistic manual therapy that can end your pain and restore your body's normal functions? Read on to find out more.
What is Sciatica?
Sciatica, or lumbar radiculopathy, is an inflammation of the sciatic nerve caused by the compression of its roots or branches. It causes excruciating pain and numbness, which makes moving challenging if not impossible. The only time a person with sciatica is relieved of pain is when they are seated or lying on their back.
What Causes Sciatica?
Age is one of the key factors which will determine your risk for sciatica. As you get older, your spine and overall structure weaken, making your intervertebral discs more prone to rupture. This puts more pressure on the root of the sciatic nerve. You are more susceptible to sciatica if you identify with any of the following:
- You are diabetic
- You lack physical activities
- Your job requires prolonged sitting or lifting of heavy things
- You are overweight
- You're pregnant or have been before
- You smoke
- You have osteoarthritis
What Are the Symptoms of Sciatica?
Sciatica usually manifests on one leg as pain, muscle weakness or numbness. Sometimes the pain spreads into the foot. When you start experiencing any of these, seek medical attention immediately. Other symptoms may include:
- Burning sensation or blood in your pee
- Pins and needles in your legs and feet
- Back pain
- Incontinence
- Pain that travels down your legs
- Numbness in the upper thighs, legs and pelvis
What is Dorn Therapy?
The Dorn method is a holistic approach to treating back pain and spine misalignment. It was developed in the 1970s by Dieter Dorn, a German sawmill owner who suffered from sciatica after injuring himself by carrying a heavy log.
The modality is similar to physical therapy and chiropractic as it focuses on correcting misalignments and restoring the body's ability to move without pain. What makes it unique is the fact that it involves self-help exercises which you can do at home to expedite your healing.
How Can the Dorn Method Help With Sciatica?
Dorn therapy begins with the assessment and correction of leg length. When left untreated, a discrepancy in leg length may lead to bad posture, the weakening of the lumbar spine and low back pain. After correcting the leg length, the practitioner will work on the knee joints and ankle joints.
Note that throughout the correction process, the practitioner and client work together to get the joints and bones back in place. The Dorn method is nothing like other manual therapies where you receive treatment passively. In this one, you will be asked to perform guided movements while the practitioner works on your joints.
Once the correction has been made, the practitioner will teach you a series of short, easy-to-do self-help exercises to support your journey back to optimal health. To find a qualified practitioner of Dorn therapy in your area who can help eliminate your sciatica, check out the list of health practitioners on the Natural Therapy Pages.
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