A: Sciatica is a term used to define the symptoms of pain and tingling in the legs and numbness or weakness traveling from the lower all the way down the back of the leg where the large sciatic nerve is. Sciatica is not a medical diagnosis or medical disorder; it is actually just a symptom of when the nerve roots which make up the sciatic nerve or compressed or irritated. It usually occurs most frequently between people age 30 to 50. It is typically developed over general wear and tear and not from a particular event or injury. Clinically, sciatica is called radiculopathy, meaning that a disc has moved from its original placement in the vertebral column and putting pressure on the radicular nerve.

The pain of sciatica on occasion can be very intense and debilitating. Typically, however, the pain is bearable, irritating, and inconsistent. When the pain is this mild, it is usually caused by some inflammation and can heal anytime between two weeks to a couple months. Because the spinal cord is not located in the lower back where sciatica occurs, it does not impose the danger of paralysis as some nerve conditions in the back do. If progressive weakness in the leg continues for a prolonged period of time or there is any bladder or bowel incontinence or dysfunction, it is important to seek medical help.

When sciatica becomes more severe it is necessary to get medical treatment. Because sciatica nerve pain is linked to a combination of inflammation and pressure onto the nerve root, its treatment focuses on relieving these conditions. There are two common treatments to heal sciatica and relieve the pain completely. If surgery isn’t an option there is a combination of treatments and alternative non-medical treatments to relieve the pain. They typically have a combination of back exercises and stretching. If done correctly, these exercises should prevent reoccurrence of sciatica symptoms. If the condition is severe enough, surgery may be the only option. Microdiscectomy, or lumbar lamienctomy and discectomy, extracts a part of the disc that is causing inflammation on the nerve root. These surgery’s relieve any inflammation and pressure that cannot be treated with non-medical treatments.

Random Pain Questions