Sciatica is a condition of the back that causes shooting pains throughout a person’s lower back and legs. This happens when the sciatic nerve becomes pressed or irritated by the bones located in the lower area of the spine.
Sciatica pain commonly becomes mixed with discomfort in the lower back either before or after it fully emerges. This pain is felt down through the legs and sometimes past the knees and into the feet. Another common sensation is that of numbness or weakness of the leg muscles.
When diagnosing sciatica, doctors review not only the pain a patient is feeling, but also what other symptoms or conditions they may have. Although they may seem unrelated, they often can highlight something more severe than just simple back pain. Some things to notice are having lost a drastic amount of weight, feeling unwell, taking steroids, having or have had cancer, a recent violent injury, like a car crash. These indicators are usually signs to see a doctor right away.
There is no strict treatment plan for this particular back issue, as in most cases, it goes away on its own after a few days. Staying active is helpful – although you may be in a lot of pain and inclined to rest, this usually does not help with the sciatica itself, and only helps with this pain. So bed rest should be kept to a minimum. If the pain is too much, simple painkillers are helpful – like ibuprofen or paracetamol.
In severe cases, where simple painkillers do not help, it may be suggested to have an epidural. This is an injection directly into the spine which numbs the nerves that cause the pain.
Surgery to stop the nerves from being pressed by the bones within back is sometimes required in the most extreme of cases. This is something doctors resort to very infrequently due to the high risks involved in back surgery.
To learn more about sciatica as well as possible treatment options, visit Dr. Dirk Kancilia’s site www.CaliforniaDiscInstitute
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