What is sciatica?

The common condition of sciatica refers to having pain along the sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve starts at the lower back and follows down to the hips, buttocks, and down each leg.

What are the symptoms of sciatica?

Sciatica pain can occur anywhere along the sciatic nerve pathway. Most of the time, this condition only follows one side of the body. The pain typically follows from the low back to the buttocks and the backside of the thigh and calf.

The pain varies:

• Mild ache 
• Sharp, burning pain
• A jolt or electric shock-type pain
• Pain sometimes worsens with coughing, sneezing, or sitting for a long period of time
• Numbness
• Tingling or muscle weakness in the leg or foot

Seek immediate medical attention if you experience a loss of feeling or weakness in the affected leg and/or loss of bladder control.

What are the causes of sciatica?

Pinched nerves can cause sciatica. Sciatica often occurs after a herniated disc injury or overgrowth of bone. These conditions tend to put pressure on a part of a nerve, leading to inflammation, pain, and sometimes numbness in the affected area. Rarely. a tumor can put pressure on the nerve or a disease such as diabetes can damage the nerve.

What are the risk factors of sciatica?

• Age- Changes to the spine most often happen in people over the age of 40. 
• Obesity-Being overweight puts pressure on the spine.
• Occupation-Physical labor-intensive jobs that require one to lift heavy objects and twist put a person more at risk. Jobs that require driving a vehicle for long periods of time can also contribute to sciatica.
• Prolonged sitting
• Diabetes- This disease affects how the body uses blood sugar and increases nerve damage risk

What are the treatments for sciatica?

Most people fully recover from sciatica without any treatment, however, sciatica sometimes causes permanent nerve damage. Seek immediate medical attention if you experience a loss of feeling or weakness in the affected leg and/or loss of bladder control.

Mild sciatica mostly goes away with time.  If the pain lasts longer than a week after utilizing at-home treatment, call your healthcare provider.

Medications

The types of drugs that might be used to treat sciatica pain include:

• Anti-inflammatories
• Corticosteroids
• Antidepressants
• Anti-seizure medications
• Opioids

Physical Therapy

Physical therapists diagnose and treat patients with medical problems or injuries that limit their ability to participate in their daily lives. Patients will usually see a physical therapist after a referral by their primary physician. Physical therapists work with patients who have experienced an injury or disease that has affected their movement and range of motion.

At Nextgen Pain & Injury Clinic, our team of licensed physical therapists and rehabilitation experts will focus on your total health and wellness. Regardless of the cause or source of your pain, we will develop a treatment plan with your unique issues in mind.

Our treatment philosophy emphasizes evidence-based manual and therapeutic exercise techniques that are tailored toward efficiently returning patients, athletes, and employees to their pre-injury status. We treat orthopedic and sports injuries, provide spinal rehabilitation, post-surgical rehabilitation, and industrial rehabilitation. Personalized physical therapy is used to treat a variety of conditions.

• Chronic and acute medical problems
• Knee pain
• Back pain
• Leg Pain
• Ankle pain
• Sports injuries
• Musculoskeletal injuries
• Chronic medical problems
• Neurological conditions such as spinal cord injuries

Steroid injections

An anti-inflammatory medicine — a steroid or corticosteroid — into the area around the nerve root that’s causing pain. One injection helps reduce pain, however, up to three can be given in one year.

Steroid injections are also used to treat a number of other conditions.

• Lower back pain
• Herniated Disc
• Rheumatoid Arthritis
• Spinal stenosis
• Degenerative disc disease
• Spondylolysis

Surgery

Surgical removal of the bone spur or the portion of the herniated disc that’s pressing on the nerve can be very helpful. In the case of sciatica, surgery will only happen if the condition causes severe weakness, loss of bowel or bladder control, or pain that doesn’t improve with other treatments. Surgery should be the last option and only used when necessary.

If you or a loved one is suffering from sciatica, know that pain relief is just a few clicks away. Contact Nextgen Wellness Group today, and let us help you take the first steps in healing.