Sciatica

Back pain comes in all shapes and sizes. It can flare up immediately after an injury or appear slowly and mysteriously over a period of months. It might be sudden and short-lived (acute) or long-lasting (chronic). Over-the-counter medicines help with some types of back pain, but only powerful drugs and surgery can fix others. Sometimes it’s hard to identify the source of your back pain, but other times you can pinpoint it easily. Sciatica is one of those that’s pretty simple to identify. Home remedies can work fast, so you might not even have to call a doctor. How Sciatica Works Sciatica usually starts with a When a disk herniates, it might put pressure on the nerves around it. This can cause a lot of pain when that happens to be the sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve is the longest nerve in your body. It starts in your lower back and splits to run through your hips, buttocks, legs, and feet on both sides. The most distinctive sign of sciatica is pain that radiates from your lower back into the back or side or your legs. It can range from a mild ache to sharp, severe pain. You can also get numbness, tingling, and Risk Factors Age. Most people who get sciatica are between 30 and 50 years old. Weight. Extra pounds can puts pressure on your spine, which means people who are overweight and pregnant women have a greater chance of getting a herniated disk. Diabetes can cause Your job. Lots of heavy lifting -- or prolonged sitting -- can damage disks. Treatment Most people with sci...

Sciatica happens when irritation, inflammation, pinching or compression affect one or more nerves that run down your lower back and into your legs. It’s usually not a serious or dangerous condition, and most people with sciatica get better on their own with time and self-care treatments. But severe cases may need surgery. Overview Sciatica symptoms can affect your lower back, butt and legs. Pressure on the spinal cord or nerves is often the cause. What is sciatica? Sciatica is nerve pain from an injury or irritation to your Your sciatic nerve is the longest and thickest nerve in your body. It’s up to 2 centimeters wide (a U.S. penny or a United Kingdom 1 pence coin are about the same width). Despite its name, it’s not just one nerve. It’s actually a bundle of nerves that come from five nerve roots branching off from your spinal cord. You have two sciatic nerves, one on each side of your body. Each sciatic nerve runs through your hip and buttock on one side. They each go down the leg on their side of your body until they reach just below your knee. Once there, they split into other nerves that connect to parts farther down, including your lower leg, foot and toes. Having sciatica means you can experience mild to severe pain anywhere with nerves that connect to the sciatic nerve. The symptoms can affect your lower back, hips, buttocks or legs. Some symptoms may extend as far down as your feet and toes, depending on the specific nerve(s) affected. Types of sciatica There are ...

Regardless of the cause, about 90% of people with sciatica will get better without surgery—most of them in just a few weeks. You can start treating your sciatica at home. In fact, home treatment may be all you need, especially if you know that your sciatica is caused by an injury or pregnancy. Even if you don't know what's causing your sciatica, you can take steps to relieve your pain at home. Call your doctor if the pain isn't manageable or under certain other circumstances. Cold and heat Both ice packs and heat can be used to ease the pain of sciatica and help you function better. For the first seven days, use ice. Place ice packs on your lower back to reduce inflammation of the sciatic nerve. Be careful not to give yourself frostbite. Icepacks shouldn't directly touch the skin; wrap them in a cloth or towel. Leave them in place for no more than 15 to 20 minutes at a time, with at least a 15- to 20-minute break in between. Try a cycle of on-off-on-off-on (this will take between 75 and 100 minutes). Then take a break to see how you feel. Another way to apply cold to a painful area is an ice massage. Freeze water in a paper cup and then tear away the top half of the cup. Using a circular motion, massage the lower back with the ice. Cover an area about six inches in diameter, and keep the cup moving to prevent frostbite. Avoid the bony part of the spine. Massage for no more than 10 minutes and wait at least an hour between massages. It's okay to try some gentle stretches be...

Here are some of the reasons why your sciatica may be getting worse. Injury and reinjury If an injury was responsible for your sciatica, and if your symptoms get better and then worse, you may have reaggravated the injury that originally caused your sciatica. Sudden injuries and repetitive overuse injuries can lead to sciatic symptoms. Herniated discs are the most common cause of sciatica. Age and underlying health conditions In general, younger people heal more quickly than older people. But there are many underlying health conditions that can also slow your body’s ability to heal. Some conditions include: • • • • • • • Infections An epidural abscess is a collection of pus that develops between the bones of your spine and membrane of the spinal cord. It may lead to swelling that puts pressure on your nerves and leads to sciatica. Wear and tear Wear and tear on your spine can lead to a condition called Lifestyle issues Sciatica often responds to gentle exercise. It’s thought that mobilizing the sciatic nerve may help improve symptoms by decreasing nerve sensitivity. Gentle stretching and exercising may be recommended as a part of treatment. Alternatively, a sedentary lifestyle and spending a lot of time sitting can potentially aggravate symptoms of sciatica. Spinal mass or tumor In rare cases, a cancerous mass can put pressure on your sciatic nerve. One very rare type of tumor that can develop is called a malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor. Sciatica often responds to ...

Sciatic nerve pain can be so excruciating and debilitating that you don’t even want to get off the couch. You probably know more than one person with this condition, as it’s relatively common, with a lifetime incidence of The sciatic nerve begins at your lower back and then moves through your hips, buttocks, and down each of your legs. Sciatic pain will usually follow the path of the sciatic nerve. It happens when there’s a problem anywhere along this pathway. Common causes of • a • narrowing of the spine canal (called • injury Managing flare ups The root cause of my sciatica pain is from weightlifting. I was in a group personal training class for about 4 months before I had symptoms. I was lifting heavy for my size and was able to deadlift 70 pounds with the help of my instructor. I took some time off from the class to go to physical therapy, where they were kind and helpful. Once I learned some exercises to help reduce my pain and started feeling relief, I went back to the weightlifting class. Sadly, the pain came back quickly, despite lifting much lighter. I ended up quitting the class because I didn't want to do anything that would cause more chronic pain. Since then, I've stuck with long city walks, swimming, and yoga for exercise. Was this helpful? Sciatic pain Certified physical therapist Mindy Marantz says that sciatica pain can occur for a variety of reasons. “Identifying what doesn’t move is the first step toward solving the problem,” she explains. Often, the mos...

Sciatica is pain from irritation of the sciatic nerve. Sciatica is commonly the result of a compressed nerve in the lower spine but can cause symptoms throughout the back and legs. Often, the term “sciatica” is confused with general This nerve controls several muscles in the lower legs and supplies sensation to the skin of the foot and the majority of the lower leg. Sciatica is not a condition, but rather a symptom of another problem involving the sciatic nerve. Some experts estimate that up to 40 percent of people will experience sciatica at least once in their life. Share on Pinterest Sciatica can cause pain in the back and legs. The main symptom is a shooting pain anywhere along the sciatic nerve; from the lower back, through the buttock, and down the back of either leg. Other common symptoms of sciatica include: • numbness in the leg along the nerve • tingling sensation (pins and needles) in the feet and toes This pain can range in severity and may be aggravated by sitting for long periods. We will look at treatments for acute and chronic sciatica individually: Acute sciatica treatments Most cases of acute sciatica respond well to self-care measures, which include: • Over-the-counter painkillers such as ibuprofen, which are also available to buy • Exercises such as walking or light stretching. • Hot or cold compression packs help to reduce pain. They are available to purchase Not all painkillers are suitable for everyone; individuals should be sure to review options wi...