The painful condition of sciatica is distinguished by severe and irritating pain throughout the legs, from the lower back area. This happens due to the sciatic nerve (the main nerve to run through the leg) becoming irritated by the spine’s lower bones.

Although this pain is usually felt throughout the leg, it is common for it to go beyond the knee and even into the foot. Besides pain, other effects are weakness of the leg muscles or numbness. Oftentimes this is combined with some form of lower back pain which can occur before or after the condition.

To establish and diagnose sciatica, doctors often look at which kind of category the pain fits into and the condition of the patient. Certain groups of people are advised to seek the attention of a doctor when experiencing back pain. If this back pain comes after a severe injury, you have or have had cancer at some point, you have lost an unusual amount of weight recently, you are taking steroids or you have been feeling generally unwell.

Usually sciatica resolves itself within a few days up to a few weeks and specific treatment is not necessary. Keeping active is helpful, as well as limiting bed rest and remaining in work. Although the natural reaction is to rest in bed, this itself will not treat the problem. Basic pain killers can help to control the pain, such as ibuprofen and paracetamol.

In severe cases, where simple painkillers do not help, it may be suggested to have an epidural. This is an injection directly into the spine which numbs the nerves that cause the pain.

When pain control is not working, surgery may need to be discussed to prevent the nerves from being pressed by the bones. This only happens in very rare cases as the consequences involved in this kind of surgery are very serious.

To learn more about sciatica as well as possible treatment options, visit Dr. Dirk Kancilia’s site www.CaliforniaDiscInstitute

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