| If you've been around anyone with sciatica, you know | | | | The causes of sciatica |
| it's a painful form of back pain. | | | | Sciatica is usually not the result of any accident or fall. |
| Sciatica is a pain in the leg arising from compression of | | | | Instead, it's normally just caused by wear and tear on |
| the sciatic nerve which runs from the spine down the | | | | our back. That's why 30-50 year olds are the ones for |
| legs to the feet and is often caused by a herniated | | | | whom it is most common. |
| disc. If you've ever gone to the doctor with a sore | | | | As we get older, the intervertebral discs of our spine |
| back, the first thing they will ask you is if you have and | | | | experience degeneration and from that a herniated |
| pain or numbness in your leg. | | | | disc can occur. With a herniated disc, the disk |
| Fortunately, between 80 to 90 percent of people with | | | | protrudes pushing against the nerve in the lower back. |
| sciatica get better without having to have surgery. | | | | There is a misperception that sciatica is a deadened |
| What are the symptoms of sciatica? | | | | nerve but it is simply the compression of the nerve. |
| Sciatica has been described as having a burning or | | | | How can sciatica be treated? |
| tingling feeling or like having a small electrical shock. | | | | The first priority is to alleviate the pain. Your doctor |
| The pain can run from your buttock, down the back of | | | | may prescribe anti-inflammatory medicine such as |
| your thighs. Everyday activities like sitting or even | | | | ibuprofen to help calm the inflammation, but full pain |
| coughing can be very painful. | | | | relief could take a few days and may involve bed rest. |
| Pay close attention to the numbness in your legs. If it | | | | Treatment for sciatica can be surgical or non-surgical. |
| persists or if you lose control of your bowels, then go | | | | Non-surgical treatment involves stretching and |
| and see a doctor. This could be a sign of a rare | | | | exercising. Be sure to keep as active as possible since |
| condition called cauda equine which needs immediate | | | | this helps the recovery but be careful about what |
| surgery. | | | | exercises you do. Walking and jogging have been |
| The good news is that sciatica is mainly an | | | | cited as sports that may cause sciatica. |
| inflammation that eventually dies down. Recovery can | | | | Sciatica surgery is common and the objective is to |
| be in as little as two week but it could also take a few | | | | remove the source of the nerve irritation. Over 90% of |
| months. Paralysis is not a factor with sciatica. | | | | sciatica operations are successful. |