When your legs feel weak or have sharp pains down your thigh, you might have a nerve condition known as sciatica. There are treatment plans at Mason sciatica that use chiropractic and medical methods, massage therapy, exercise, and some personalized solutions to help you move and walk without pain.
What is sciatica?
Sciatica is the pain in the sciatic nerve that branches on the lower back through the buttocks and the hips and down to the legs. Sciatica affects one side of the body. It mostly appears when the herniated disk on the spine or spinal stenosis compresses part of the nerve. It causes pain, numbness, and inflammation in the affected leg.
Pain that circulates from your lower spine to the buttocks and down to the back of your legs is the hallmark of sciatica. You can feel some discomfort in parts near the nerve pathway, but it is likely to follow away in the lower back to the buttock and go back to the calf and thigh.
The pain might vary widely, from a burning sensation or excruciating pain to a mild ache or sharp pain. It sometimes feels like an elastic shock or a jolt. It becomes worse when you sneeze, or cough and prolonged sitting may aggravate symptoms. Usually, only one part of the body is affected.
Some people can experience tingling, numbness, or muscle weakness in the affected foot or leg. You can have pain in a single part of the leg and numbness in another part.
Treatment
Most people with sciatica get better without surgery in a few weeks. OTC pain relievers like naproxen sodium and ibuprofen might help relieve pain, although they are only for short-term solutions.
The doctor can recommend placing cold packs on the lower back for some days and then alternate to hot packs for few days after that. When you have sciatica, your instincts might be leading you to rest, but it’s essential to keep moving. If you sit still in one place, the nerve will be irritated in that spot. While in motion, inflammation will reduce.
If home remedies don’t help, the doctor will prescribe more vital medication, like muscle relaxants or anti-inflammatories. You can try physical therapy, steroid injections, or chiropractic care. If the pain lasts for over three months, it would be best if you consider surgery. You must see your doctor when your sciatica causes weakness, severe pain, loss of bowel or bladder function, and numbness.
Risk factors
Age- Age changes in the spine, such as bone spurs and herniated disks, are common causes of sciatica.
Obesity- Increasing stress on the spine, excess weight can cause spinal changes that trigger sciatica.
Occupation- A job that needs you to twist your back, drive motor vehicles for an extended period or carry heavy loads can contribute to sciatica, but there is no evidence of this link.
Diabetes. It affects the way the body uses blood sugar. This condition increases the risk of nerve damage.
Don’t suffer from weakness and pain of sciatica a day longer. Seek help from a team of experts from Elite Physical Medicine for support and treatment. It would be best if you also considered exercising regularly to keep your back healthy.
