Sciatica

What is it?

To me it is pain arising from the sciatic nerve, anywhere from it's origin at the spinal cord in the lower back, to it's branches which terminate in the feet. The NHS website defines it as "where the sciatic nerve, which runs from your lower back to your feet, is irritated or compressed". Differential diagnoses are foraminal stenosis, piriformis syndrome, obstetrical compression and pelvic floor tumours. I am going to focus on the most common cause, being compression of the nerve root in the lumbar spine which is mild.

Symptoms

Shooting pain, pins and needles, burning, numbness which causes changes in a dog's behaviour such as biting, licking. nibbling the area that they feel these sensations; so anywhere from their rear end down to their hindlimb paws depending on the nerve root affected.

Treatment

You should contact your vet for a consultation. Your vet may choose to do diagnostic tests such as blood tests, xray and/or CT. or not. The primary intervention is usually medication and exercise modification.

Lifestyle: As your dog may not have full sensation in the affected area it is necessary to minimise the risk of slips, trips and falls by covering slippy flooring with rugs, stopping jumping up and down, including furniture and up and down the stairs in the short term.

Walks should be on lead and if your dog pulls then seek help in finding an alternative solution. Pulling on the lead only turns them into being front wheeled drive instead of being rear wheeled drive. Walks should be kept to short time periods and frequently for your dog's physical, social and mental well-being.

Using laser therapy I treated the acupuncture points found to be most effect in treating sciatica in humans, namely, BL23, 25, Ex-B2, BL54, GB30, BL40, BL57, BL60. This can be combined with soft tissue therapy to decrease muscle tone in unhelpful overactive muscles, loosing the muscles around the nerve and increasing circulation to and from the area.

Physiotherapists can help with rehabilitating your dog back to full fitness whilst ensuring that the sciatica resolves and then a preventative programme can be put in place to minimise any future occurrences.

References:

Needling Interventions for Sciatica: Choosing Methods Based on Neuropathic Pain Mechanisms—A Scoping Review Thomas Perreault 1 , César Fernández-de-las-Peñas 2,3,* , Mike Cummings 4 and Barry C. Gendron. J. Clin. Med.2021, 10(10), 2189; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm10102189

Gabapentin for Dogs: How it Works, Dosage, and Side Effects (veterinarians.org)