Sciatica

Alternative Names

Sciatica, Sciatic nerve pain

What is Sciatica

Scatica is a symptom, not a proper disorder. Sciatica is pain that is caused by irritation or compression of the longest nerve in the human body - the sciatic nerve. It runs from the back of your pelvis through your buttocks and all the way down both legs ending at your feet. The pain of sciatica is usually felt from the low back (lumbar area) to behind the thigh and radiating down below the knee. The pain of sciatica is known as sciatic nerve pain.

Signs and symptoms

Sciatic pain can be mild and very painful and can last for weeks or months. Scatica includes the following symptoms:

• Pain from your low back to your buttock and the back of your thigh and calf
• Numbness or muscle weakness along the nerve pathway in your leg or foot
• Tingling or a pins-and-needles feeling in your toes or part of your foot
• A loss of bladder or bowel control

Possible complications

Not treated properly and in time scatica may cause permanent nerve damage. Besides, it can lead to:

• Loss of feeling in the affected leg
• Loss of movement in the affected leg
• Loss of bowel or bladder function

What causes

A slipped disc is the most frequent cause of sciatica. Its distinguishing feature is greater pain in the posterior thigh and lower leg or foot. No specific trauma can be blamed in the most cases. Any simple action may bring on sciatic pain. Standing, lifting, sitting or straining may even worsen it.

Prevention

The reason of back injury, particularly at work, is the wrong way people lifting or handling objects. So, to prevent scatica you should be careful at lifting objects and follow some easy tips:

• Think before you lift about your capacity to do this. Try to find some handling aids you can use.
• Be in a good position with your foot slightly forward to maintain balance.
• When lifting, bend your back, knees and hips slightly but do not stoop or squat.
• Tighten your stomach muscles and do not straighten your legs before lifting.
• Keep the lift as close to your waist as possible.
• Know your limits.
• Push it if possible, do not pull.
• Distribute the weight evenly on both sides of your body./li>

Treatment

Sciatica can be treated by self-care measures such as usage of alternating cold packs and hot packs, stretching, exercise and use of non-prescription medications. Beyond this you can be prescribed to take:

• Physical therapy
• Rehabilitation including exercises to help correct your posture, strengthen the muscles supporting your back and improve your flexibility
• Prescription drugs for short-term pain relief and tricyclic antidepressants, anticonvulsant drugs against chronic pain
• Epidural steroid injections for pain relief
• Surgery when pain gets progressively worse or does not improve situation.