What Is Sciatica?
The sciatic nerve travels from the lower back, through the hips, down the backs of both legs, and finally down to the feet. This nerve is responsible for controlling muscles and feeling in the lower legs. As the name suggests, sciatica is a word used to describe pain generated by the sciatic nerve. The Sciatica pain is caused by a bone spur or a herniated disc pressing on the sciatic nerve.
Other factors that can contribute to sciatica include: wear and tear on the discs between the vertebrae and the spine, abnormal narrowing of the spinal canal, tumors in the lumbar spinal canal, trauma to the spine, or the sciatic nerve, and Piriformis syndrome.
How Do You Know You Have Sciatica?
Patients experience symptoms such as:
- Pain in the lower back.
- Numbness or weakness in one leg.
- Sitting causes pain on one side of the buttocks or in one leg.
- An intense ache that makes standing or walking difficult.
- A burning sensation down the legs.
- Bladder or bowel dysfunction.
In most cases, these symptoms begin abruptly and continue for a few days or weeks.
Risk Factors
Common risk factors include age, obesity, weight, prolonged sitting, some diseases such as diabetes, and an occupation that requires twisting or heavy lifting.
The Possible Treatments for Sciatica
Individuals suffering from sciatica pain have the desire to seek treatment and find relief. In addition, such individuals seek to increase their mobility. Although the cause of sciatica usually dictates its course of treatment. Many people recover over time, with self-care therapies and non-surgical procedures leading to relief. Some of the treatments include:
Over-the-Counter Pain Relievers
Medicine such as aspirin and ibuprofen may be used to ease pain, reduce inflammation and help the swelling go down. However, take caution when taking aspirin as it may cause ulcers and bleeding for some patients. If these do not work, your doctor may recommend muscle relaxants or anti-inflammatories.
Hot and Cold Packs
Initially, apply ice packs wrapped in a towel on your lower back for approximately 20 minutes several times each day. This will aid reduce pain and swelling. After a few days:
- Switch to a hot pack or a heating pad.
- Apply for a total of 20 minutes at a time. If the Sciatic pain persists, alternate between hot and cold packs.
- When using the ice pack, be careful.
It should not be used directly on the skin, as it can easily cause frostbite.
Gentle Stretches
Stretching can help to relieve painful nerve compression. Learn correct stretches from a professional who deals with low back pain. You can opt to try yoga. You will not get cured, but you will feel better. Iyengar focuses on excellent posture. Studies suggest that it reduces the severity of pain and makes it easier to move.
Movement
Most patients would prefer to rest or even sit, but this only makes the pain worse. Remaining physically active can help increase blood flow to the nerve, which speeds up healing. Additionally, moving helps manage your pain by improving flexibility and the range of motion and strengthening the muscles that support your spine. The patient can try taking 15 to 20-minute walks. If this is too painful, they can try swimming since it does not put too much pressure on the back.
Lie down if the Pain Is Severe
After you’ve rested, get up and try to resume your usual activities. While you should attempt to keep active, a little break might be beneficial if the pain is unbearable. Prolonged bed rest is not a suitable sciatica therapy and may aggravate your symptoms.
Acupuncture
Sciatica pain may be eased with acupuncture, which uses tiny needles to stimulate pressure points throughout the body. It may be helpful to others, but other patients say they do not see significant results. Acupuncture has little risk as long as a licensed practitioner performs it.
Epidural steroid injections
For patients who have been in pain for more than six months, doctors may recommend an epidural injection. This is a dose of steroid medicine into your spine. The injection is x-ray guided and goes into the lower back near the sciatic nerve. However, studies have shown conflicting findings as to how effectively it works.
Physical therapy
There are a variety of sciatica physical therapy exercises that can help relieve sciatica pain. They include muscle strengthening, core strengthening exercises, and sciatica pain relief activities.
Get a massage
Massage treatment has been shown to reduce lower back discomfort and increase mobility. It also stimulates your body to repair itself by getting the blood circulating. If you suffer from back pain, seek the help of a therapist who specializes in back pain.
Surgery
Surgery is usually used as the last resort. It is an option when all other methods have proved to be ineffective. Doctors can also recommend it when the patient has trouble waking, has bladder dysfunction, or has severe muscle weakness. This procedure is designed to relieve pressure on the pinched nerves and ensure that your spine is in a stable position.
Discectomy and laminectomy are the two main surgical treatments for sciatica. A discectomy is where the surgeon removes whatever is pressing the sciatic nerve. The objective is to remove only the portion that is causing sciatica, but sometimes surgeons may remove the entire disk to correct the problem. After the procedure, the patient may be permitted to go home.
Laminectomy is where the surgeon removes the tissue pressing the nerve and hence causing pain. The patient may be allowed to go home the day of the procedure or a day after. Additionally, the doctor may recommend the patient start walking a day after they get home.
Both surgeries take about two hours. Recovery time varies depending on the individual, but it usually takes six to three months. Though the surgery is very effective, it bears risks such as bleeding, infection, blood clots, nerve damage, spinal fluid leak, and loss of bladder control.
What To Expect From the Treatment and How Long It Will Take Before Results Appear
One of the most significant determinants of the expectations one can have is the source of the injury and the course of treatment an individual goes for. The part of your body affected will also determine how fast the therapy will offer relief. Some physical therapy treatments can provide pain relief in a matter of minutes, though others will take a bit longer.
Contact New York Spine Specialist for Spinal Treatment
Contact us today at (516) 355-0111 or request an appointment by completing our contact form. Our physicians are prepared to develop a treatment plan for your needs; therefore, you can rest easy knowing that we can treat your work-related injury and help decrease your pain, enhance function for your daily activities, and improve your quality of life. Our doctors accept workers’ compensation insurance, no-fault, and other health insurance plans. Call us today!
