Sciatica
What is sciatica?
Sciatica is a very painful condition that can last for several days. It occurs due to the irritation of the sciatic nerve, which can happen through inflammation or injury. Sciatica is not a disease itself, but is a symptom of another health problem.
It usually causes a radiating pain that extends from the back to the leg, even reaching the feet. The muscles around the area tend to contract before the pain, worsening the situation. On other occasions, one of the spinal discs moves backwards, putting pressure on the nerve.
What are the symptoms?
The symptoms that sciatica produces can hinder quality of life. Some of the most common indicators include:
- Pain: the degree of pain can vary from a mild pain that hardly causes discomfort to a dull or very intense pain that hinders the ability to move.
- Tingling: occuring in the legs, calves and feet.
- Numbness: areas where pain and tingling occur may be numb.
- Weakness: it is very common to feel weakness in some parts of the body.
Causes of sciatica why it occurs
Sciatica pain is caused by inflammation or injury of the sciatic nerve, sometimes caused by compression in muscle contractures, a disc displacement in the spine, or a narrowing of the nerve channel.
The most common causes of sciatica are:
- Herniated disc
- Spinal stenosis
- Piriformis syndrome
- Lesion or fracture of the pelvis
- Tumours
Can it be prevented?
Sciatica cannot be prevented since it is not a disease, but a symptom. However, experts recommend regular exercise and practising good posture.
What is the treatment?
Because sciatica is a symptom of another condition, the cause must be identified and treated.
In some cases, no treatment is necessary and the sciatica gets better on its own. In other cases, medication, surgery, or physiotherapy may be indicated in order to alleviate the pain or to correct the problem.
When should I see a doctor about sciatica?
By Mr Sanj Bassi
2021-05-17
Sciatica is extremely common. Most people have a 80-90% chance of having back pain in their life time. Of these patients 1-3% go on to have sciatica. So what is it, how serious is the condition, and how can it be treated? We interviewed leading neurosurgeon Mr Sanj Bassi for the answers. See more
Treating back pain with percutaneous laser disc decompression
By Mr Irfan Malik
2021-05-14
Back pain, one of the leading causes of disability worldwide, especially lower back pain and sciatica can be caused by a herniated disc. A herniated disc is where a disc in the spinal disc puts pressure on the nerves causing pain in the back and down along the leg. Mr Malik, one of the UK’s leading minimally invasive spinal surgeons talks about percutaneous laser disc decompression (PLDD), a fairly new technique to treat back pain. See more
Sciatica vs. back pain: how do they differ?
By Mrs Anne Mitchener
2021-05-14
Sciatica pain radiates along the sciatica nerve, which goes from your lower back through the buttocks and down through the leg, distinctively, on one side, whereas back pain usually occurs from muscle strain. We've asked one of our expert neurosurgeons Mrs Anne Mitchener to explain the difference between both conditions and if there is a test that you can make at home to determine which one you have. See more
Trapped nerve: signs you should not ignore
By Dr Anthony Hammond
2021-05-12
Do you feel numbness and tingling in the lower back and have problems trying to bend or stand-up straight? It could be a case of a slipped disc compressing on a nerve that's causing the back pain. Our expert rheumatologist Dr Anthony Hammond explains the signs that you should watch out for and the potential risk factors for a slipped disc. See more
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Mr David Bell
NeurosurgeryExpert in:
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Dr James Blackburn
Pain medicineExpert in:
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Dr Joseph Azzopardi
Pain medicineExpert in:
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Pain medicineExpert in:
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NeurosurgeryExpert in:
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