Sciatica Treatment in Eastbourne: Symptoms, Causes and Treatment Options
Updated: 16 hours ago
By Andy Duckmanton, BOst (Hons), GOsC registered osteopath.
Editorial update: 13 November 2026.
Sciatica is pain caused by irritation or compression of the sciatic nerve or its nerve roots. It commonly travels from the buttock down the leg, sometimes with tingling, numbness or weakness. This guide explains assessment, self-care and when to seek medical help. Pain mainly in your back? Read the lower back pain guide.
When sciatica needs emergency help
Go to A&E or call 999 if you have any of these symptoms:
Sciatica affecting both sides, or severe or increasing weakness or numbness in both legs.
Numbness around the genitals or anus, or new changes in genital sensation or sexual function.
New difficulty starting or passing urine, loss of bladder control, loss of awareness of needing to open your bowels, or loss of bowel control.
These may indicate a serious spinal problem requiring urgent hospital treatment. Do not drive yourself or wait for a routine appointment.
See a GP if symptoms worsen, restrict normal activities or have not improved after a few weeks of self-care. For new or worsening leg weakness, such as difficulty lifting your foot or a foot that starts dragging, contact your GP urgently or NHS 111. Do not wait for a routine osteopathy appointment. Follow the emergency instructions above if any of those warning signs are present.
Your appointment in Eastbourne
First appointment £70 · approximately 60 minutes.
Follow-ups £60 · approximately 30 minutes.
Andy Duckmanton, GOsC Registered Osteopath. Natural Fitness and Therapies, Royal Parade, Eastbourne BN22 7AQ.
Planning a visit? Read about your first appointment and check location, fees and access at the Eastbourne seafront clinic.
What can cause sciatica?
Sciatica commonly involves irritation of a nerve root in the lower back, for example from a herniated disc or narrowing around a spinal nerve. The illustration shows the nerve near the piriformis muscle; it does not identify the cause of your symptoms. An individual assessment is needed.
Assessment and treatment choices
We discuss where the symptoms travel, how they affect daily activities and whether they are changing. With your consent, I examine relevant movements and may check strength, sensation and reflexes. These checks help us judge whether the symptoms fit sciatica and whether you need further medical assessment.
For low back pain with sciatica, NICE recommends considering manual therapy only alongside exercise. Care here may combine hands-on techniques with manageable activity and an exercise plan. We review your response and adjust the plan if it is not helping.
I explain the possible benefits, risks and alternatives before you decide. You can decline hands-on treatment or stop at any time. There is no fixed course of appointments or guaranteed result.
Managing sciatica day to day
Keep up manageable daily activities and start gentle movement as you are able. Break up long periods of sitting or lying down. An individual exercise plan can help you find a suitable starting point. A pharmacist or GP can advise which pain relief is appropriate for you.
Sciatica often improves over several weeks to a few months, but some episodes last longer. See your GP if pain is worsening, limiting normal activities or not improving after a few weeks. Follow the medical-help advice above for new or worsening weakness or other warning symptoms.
A useful checkpoint when reviewing sciatica
Notice what has changed in the leg symptoms and in everyday tasks, such as walking, sitting or sleeping. Is the agreed activity plan manageable? Does any improvement last between appointments? Tell your clinician about new numbness, weakness or a change in where symptoms travel, rather than judging progress only by the pain score.
If the plan is not helping, the next step may be to adjust it or seek further assessment. New or worsening weakness needs prompt medical advice. Do not wait for a routine review with any emergency symptoms listed above, including new bladder or bowel changes or numbness around the genitals or anus.
Visiting the Eastbourne clinic
The clinic is at Natural Fitness and Therapies, Royal Parade, Eastbourne BN22 7AQ, on the promenade beside the Redoubt Fortress.
There are three entrance steps and one internal step. Please call before booking if you have access needs. See online booking for current appointment availability, or call if you cannot find a suitable time.
You can book a routine assessment online. If you are unsure whether it is appropriate for you, call 01323 335052 before booking. For urgent or worsening symptoms, follow the medical-help advice above.
Sources and further reading
Self-care and recovery advice checked against NHS guidance: 13 October 2026.