Sciatica is a pain that runs from the lower back down the leg, often into the foot and toes. It is caused by an inflammation of the sciatic nerve generated by a compression.
Some people dealing with sciatica can experience a burning, tickling or prickly sensation, normally on one side of the body. The type and amount of pain a person experiences depends upon the specific location of the nerve compression.
In many cases the pain may be very mild, while in others it might be severe and debilitating. The majority of people will recover from an episode of sciatica within a few weeks, the pain can sometime worsen over time or persist for much longer. It all depends on the underlying source.
Sciatica May Lead to Nerve Damage.
Though it is rare, in some instances sciatica can cause irreversible nerve damage. The irritation of the nerve that creates the sciatica pain usually is reversible.
Symptoms of a more dangerous medical problem include bladder or bowl incontinence, growing weakness, or the loss of sensation in the leg.
Where the Sciatic Nerve is Located
Sciatic nerves are the longest in the body. They reach out from the lower back all the way down to the feet.
Sciatic nerves exit the spine between two vertebrae in the lower back and travel behind the hip joint down the buttock and along the back of each leg into the feet.
Sciatica is triggered by the irritation of one or both of these nerves. Usually, a herniated disc applies pressure on the sciatic nerve root.
Frequently, people experiencing sciatica have leg pain, which makes them wrongly think that the sciatica is due to some kind of problem within the leg.
Other causes of sciatica can include spinal tumors, spondylolisthesis, trauma, spinal stenosis, or sciatic nerve tumor or injury.
Any Person Can Have Sciatica
Most people think that sciatica is something that just effects people who have an inactive lifestyle. And while it’s right that sedentary people are more at risk to get sciatica, it in reality can affect active people as well, especially if they take part in activities that involve twisting the back or carrying heavy loads often.
Sciatica will typically resolve itself within a few weeks. Treatment options include exercise, physical therapy. For some patients, however, the pain can last much longer, so individualized treatment plans are suggested.
Sciatica Treatment Solutions
Another more natural and less invasive sciatica therapy option is gentle, non-surgical spinal decompression treatment. By gently decompressing the involved spinal discs pressure on the sciatic nerve can be relieved and the pain from sciatica can go away.
Our sciatica experts can tell you if non-surgical spinal decompression treatment is a good option for treating your sciatica and other pain and spinal issues.
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