Save Yourself From Sciatica
You have excruciating pain that starts from your lower back and ends in your left leg. You may have a herniated or protruding disc. You could be suffering from sciatica.
Sciatica is something is putting pressure on or irritating or has caused damage to the sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve is a complex structure that includes two different bundled and branching nerves and multiple nerve roots. Taken together, these form the longest nerve in the body. The sciatic nerve originates in the lower back. It then travels through the pelvis and buttocks, runs down the back of each leg and ends at each heel. It helps to animate the muscle groups that we use to stand and walk, and it contributes to sensation in the parts of the body that it serves. That’s why, in addition to inflammation and pain, sciatica can sometimes result in numbness.
Sciatica can also be brought on by a number of risk factors such as underlying medical diseases, cancers, diabetes, obesity, smoking and infections.
For infections it can be inflammatory in nature; the same thing with cancers, but they can also be anatomic as well. In terms of infection there are some diseases, like viruses for example, that can create inflammation that will just inflame the sciatic nerve or the surrounding structures that can lead to sciatica.
While sciatica typically starts in the lower back region, it can spread to the leg and occasionally the foot.
Symptoms include a sharp and sudden pain in the buttocks, back of the leg or along the outer calf; numbness; tingling or pins and needles sensation in the leg or the foot; and muscle weakness in the leg, ankle or foot. Standing is difficult when you have sciatica, and lying down often eases the pain. In some cases, the symptoms ease a bit when walking.
Causes of sciatic nerve pain include anything that affects the sciatic nerve such as:
§ Slipped or herniated disc.
§ Spinal stenosis (happens when the space inside the backbone is too small, putting pressure on the spinal cord and nerves that travel through the spine).
§ Piriformis syndrome (condition that results from the compression of the sciatic nerve by the piriformis muscle).
§ Pelvic injury or fracture.
§ Tumors.
§ Spondylolisthesis (bone structure disease).
Most cases of sciatica resolve in less than 4 to 6 weeks with no long term complications even if no medical therapy is sought. In more severe cases or cases where the neurologic deficit is present, the patient may have a more prolonged course of recovery.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, sciatica is diagnosed through a physical examination that includes walking, a straight leg raise test, and other flexibility and strength checks. Your provider may run other tests as well such as:
§ Spine X-rays or computed tomography (CT) scans.
§ Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans.
§ Nerve conduction velocity studies.
§ Electromyography.
§ Myelogram.
Treatments to relieve pain include nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs), applying heat or cold and exercising to help minimize inflammation.
When the pain is caused by a slipped disc, surgery is often the treatment option for pain relief. Although, surgery might only be a worthwhile option for people who feel that the rapid relief outweighs the costs and potential risks.
Surgery is recommended, known as discectomy, when non-surgical options such as drugs or steroid injections, are unsuccessful. The standard of care is a steroid injection aimed at calming the nerve down.
Surgery is not always the best option to relieve the pain of sciatica because the benefits may be short-lived, lasting only up to 12 months.
Fortunately, the majority of people with sciatica recover spontaneously without the need for surgery.
Maintaining a healthy weight, exercising if possible and completing stretching exercises may help to improve your pain and prevent future recurrences. Seek medical help if your condition does not improve, or if it worsens. If you have bowel or bladder issues, or are unable to move your leg, it is time to seek immediate care.
