What is Sciatica?

Do you have leg pain, tingling, and numbness that travel down your lower back through your buttocks that even extends to your foot? If this sounds like you, then you could have sciatica. The clinical term or diagnosis is referred to as radiculopathy. This pain travels down the back along the large sciatic nerve which runs down the back of the leg. Therefore, it gets its name sciatica because of the nerve. Radiculopathy means a disc has protruded from its normal place, which is normally set in the vertical column of your lower back. Plus it is putting pressure on the radicular nerve which forms part of the sciatic nerve.

You are probably wandering what has caused this reaction. It is not a particular event that usually causes sciatica. The wear and tear of your back gradually happens over time. In fact many things can cause sciatica. It mostly occurs in people from the ages of 30 - 50 years old. It can be very painful or just irritating. People with sciatica usually get better over time. This can take anywhere from several weeks to several months. Healing from this condition is gradual and is not a quick fix. Yet, there are those who do not heal or recover from sciatica.

There are non surgical ways to get help for sciatica. Some forms of non surgical treatment are learning different stretches. Your doctor can send you to a physical therapist who can teach you how to stretch out some of the pain. Your doctor can even prescribe a medicine like Prednisone or a muscle relaxant like Flexeril. This can help with the inflammation. It can ease the pain of muscle tension and aid in helping your disc to heal.

There is also a sciatica surgery known as microdiscectomy or lumbar laminectomy and discectomy. This procedure is removing a portion of the disc. This helps relieve pressure and inflammation that is irritating the nerve root. Sciatica is a symptom. It is not the actual condition. Sciatica is a symptom of the compressing or irritation of the nerve roots which make up the sciatic nerve.

Your doctor may send you for an x-ray or MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) to see what your condition is. Make sure and describe your symptoms well to the doctor. Ask your doctor what they think is the best plan or the next step in treating your back. No matter what your decision is at least it is comforting to know that you can do something for the pain.

sources:

http://www.back.com/symptoms-radiculopathy.html

http://www.sciatica.org/