Sciatica And How To Treat It
Thursday, July 22nd, 2010The painful condition of sciatica is distinguished by severe and irritating pain throughout the legs, from the lower back area. This happens due to the sciatic nerve (the main nerve to run through the leg) becoming irritated by the spine’s lower bones.
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.
Other factors can help doctors to realize whether a condition is sciatica or something more serious. Certain pointers include losing a large amount of weight, having or having had cancer, feeling unwell for a length of time or having back pain immediately after an injury. Medical attention in these cases is advised to check the diagnose back pain correctly.
Usually sciatica resolves itself within a few days up to a few weeks and specific treatment is not necessary. Keeping active is helpful, as well as limiting bed rest and remaining in work. Although the natural reaction is to rest in bed, this itself will not treat the problem. Basic pain killers can help to control the pain, such as ibuprofen and paracetamol.
When painkillers are not helping and a person is in far to much pain, and epidural is sometimes offered. This brings great relief as it numbs the actual nerves within the spine that are causing the harsh pain.
In very rare cases, controlling this pain is not sufficient and surgery may be recommended to stop the disc or bone from pressing on the nerves. This decision is never made lightly due to the extreme risks involved.
To learn more about sciatica as well as possible treatment options, visit Dr. Dirk Kancilia’s site www.CaliforniaDiscInstitute