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Symptoms Of Sciatica

Sciatica is term used to describe pain that travels (radiates) down the leg from the lower back or buttock. It is a type of nerve pain and a number of cases are caused by pressure on the nerves due to disc bulge in the low back. This is most commonly seen in middle-aged adults and men are more susceptible. The term sciatica originated from the sciatic nerve, which is the single largest nerve in our body.

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Symptoms Of Sciatica

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  1. ©Dr.AmodManocha@removemypain.com

  2. MEDICAL CONDITIONSEXPLAINED • All you need to know aboutSciatica • This leafletisintendedforthepatientstohelpthemunderstandtheirconditionandtakeanactiverole inthedecisionmakingprocess.Iwouldlovetohearfromyou.Pleasefeelfreetoemailanysuggestions for improvement toinfo@removemypain.com • What issciatica? • Sciatica is term used to describe pain that travels (radiates) down the leg from the lower back or buttock. It is a type of nerve pain and a number of cases are caused by pressure on the nerves due to disc bulge in the low back. This is most commonly seen in middle-aged adults and men are more susceptible.Thetermsciaticaoriginatedfromthesciaticnerve,whichisthesinglelargestnerveinour body. This nerve is responsible for a significant proportion of leg sensation and movement. Sciatica representspainintheareasuppliedbythesciaticnerve. • Radicular pain/ radiculopathy are medical terms which doctors use when describing this condition. Therearenumerousreasonsforhavinglegpainandeverylegpainisnotsciatica.Commonlypeople misinterpret sciatica as a disease and need to be explained that it is a symptom of the underlying problem. • What are symptoms ofsciatica? • Theseverityandsymptomsmanyvaryconsiderably.Inseverecasestheaffectedindividualmayfind it difficulttowalkorevenstandupstraight. • Someofthecommonlyobservedsymptomsinclude • Sharp,burning,stinging,shooting,electricshockorcrampslikepaininoneorbothlegsoftenas fardownasthefoot.Movement,coughingandsneezingcanintensifythepain • Tingling,pinsandneedlesand/ornumbnessinlegorfoot • Muscleweaknesswithdifficultyinweightbearingorwalking • Buttock/low back pain andstiffness. • What causessciatica? • Nerves leave the spine through small tunnels on either side of spine. A number of these combine to formsciaticnerveoneachside.Pressure/irritationofanyofthesenerveseitherinsidethespineoras theyexitthespineoroutsidethespinealongthelengthofthesciaticnerve,canleadtosciatica.Sothe causeofsciaticacanlie insideoroutsidethespine.Someofthecausesofsciaticaareexplainedbelow • Discherniation: ©Dr.AmodManocha@removemypain.com

  3. Spine is formed of many bones called vertebrae arranged one above the other. In between these vertebrae are discs, which are like cushions or shock absorbers. The discs are made up of anoutertoughsubstanceandaninnersoftjellylikesubstance.Herniationofthedisccanoccur ifthereissplittingorcrackintheouterlayersallowingtheinnerjellylike substancetoprotrude through the crack. This can cause inflammation and compression of the nerve roots in the vertebral column. Slipped disc is a commonly used term for this condition. There is an increased susceptibility to disc herniation as we age because the soft, jelly like substance dries out and shrinkswithtime,makingthediscmorefragile. • Spinalstenosis: • Stenosis means narrowing. The narrowing can be of the central canal of the spine or the passageways/tunnelsfromwhichthenervesexitthespine.Besidesdiscproblems,arthritisof thespinaljointsorthickeningofligamentscanalsocause/contributetothenarrowing. • Spondylolisthesis: • Inthisconditionthereisaproblemwiththealignmentofvertebrae,whereonevertebraismore forwardorbackwards,whichcannarrowthespacesfornervesandproducesciaticaasaresult. • Piriformissyndrome: • Inthisconditionpiriformismuscleinthepelvisisresponsibleforpressureonsciaticnerve. • Trauma/fractures • Spinaltumorsandinfectionsarerarecausesofsciatica • Can it resolve on itsown? • Fortunately most cases of sciatica resolve within a period of weeks to months with conservative treatment.Specialistinputandtreatmentcanhelp.Painkillers,heatorcoldpack,alteredactivitylevels and physical therapy may be suggested depending on your condition. An injection of steroids into the epiduralspacewithinthe spinecanprovideshort-termpainreliefin sciatica.Persistentpaincanleadto changes in the nerves (referred to as plasticity). This can be a source of persistent pain even if the originalincitingeventisresolved…hencetheimportanceofmanagingthesesoonerthanlater. • Having seen numerous cases over the years, I would say that it is not easy to predict the course. It can resolvebuttowhatextenddependsonnumerousfactors-somearemodifiableandothersarenot.The recovery period varies from individual toindividual. • WhatarethewarningsignsIneedtobewatchfor? • Somesymptomspointtowardsaseriousproblemandrequireurgentmedicalattention.Ignoringthese couldleadtopermanentnervedamage.Someoftheseinclude ©Dr.AmodManocha@removemypain.com

  4. Lossofurinarycontrol/inabilitytopassurine • Loss of control overstools • Numbness around thebottom • Worsening leg weakness / loss ofcontrol • WhatcanIdotoreduce myriskofhavingsciatica? • Thoughit'snotpossibletocompletelyeliminatetheriskofsciatica,howeveradoptingahealthylife style can help in reducing the risk. Thisincludes • Giving upsmoking • Regularexercises • Right posture and workergonomics • Healthydietandmaintainingweightinthenormalrange • Usingpropermanualhandlingtechniqueswhileliftingtoavoidbackinjury • StressManagement • What investigations are generally considered forsciatica? • Yourdoctormayrequestforinvestigationssuchasmagneticresonanceimaging(MRI)scanandblood tests.Sometimescomputerizedtomography(CT)scansmayalsoberequired.X-raysarenotashelpful and they can provide onlylimited information. • BulgingdiscsonanMRIscanarenotanuncommonfinding.ItisimportantnottogetfixatedontheMRI findings. A bulging disc is not permanent and can reverse. The investigation results should be interpreted in combination with patient history, examination findings to assess their significance. A numberofpatientswithsevereMRIfindingsmaybeasymptomaticandviceversa. • What are the other treatmentoptions? • Sciatica is different from common ailments we all suffer and hence taking professional help is recommended. Your doctor can help to confirm that you have sciatica and help identify the cause. A range of different options- non-surgical (such as injections- nerve root blocks, epidurals, piriformis injectionetc.)orsurgicalmaybeconsidered.Thereisnoonesolutionforsciaticapainandtheoptions arenumerous-somewithgoodevidenceandotherswithnotsorobustevidence. • Generally a multimodal multidisciplinary approach is preferred as this helps in addressing not only the pain but also the impact of pain on one's life. I ensure that the patient understands the nature or problemandthedo’sanddon’ts.Timespentinexplainingtheconditionsandtheexpectedcoursegoes alongwayinfosteringrealisticexpectations.Igenerallyuseacombinationofthemodalitiesmentioned belowtoenhancethechancesofquickerrecovery. • Painrelief: ©Dr.AmodManocha@removemypain.com

  5. Painreductionachievedbymedicineshelptomaintainactivityandimprovesphysiotherapycompliance. The medications used depend on the type and severity of pain, duration of symptoms and individual factorssuchascomorbiditiesandallergies.Someofthecommonlyprescribedpainkillersinclude • Non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs(NSAIDs) • This includes drugs such as DIclofenac, Naproxen, Aceclofenac, Ibuprofen etc. NSAIDs are prescribedtoreducethepainandinflammationduringperiodsofacutesciaticaalthoughthe evidencesupportingtheiruseisnotveryrobust.Theriskbenefitrationeedstobeevaluated while prescribing anydrugs. • Neuropathic painkillers • This group includes antidepressants and anticonvulsants both of which are well known painkillers for nerve pain. It generally takes a few weeks for the full effects of these drugs to become apparent. Effects such as reduced anxiety and sedation can be used beneficially by tailored selection to suit individual patients. Their use is supported by the NICE guidelines,UK. • Opioids • Weakopioidssuchastramadolareoftenprescribedduringpainflareupepisodes.Itisagood practicetobeawareofthesideeffectsofamedicinepriortousingit. • Musclerelaxants • Theseareusedforshortdurationtorelieveanymusclespasmcontributingtothebackpain. • SpinalInjections: • The use of epidural steroids/ Nerve root blocks has been shown to have beneficial improvements in legpainanddisabilityscoresinshort term.Steroidshelpbytheiranti-inflammatoryandanalgesic(pain relieving) effect. Epidural steroids are preferred to oral steroids as they are given close to site of actual problem and have less adverseeffects. • Physiotherapy: • Physiotherapy is an essential component of sciatica treatment. Your physiotherapist can help with posture advice, do's and don'ts relevant to your condition, understanding the concept of pacing of activities,settingpracticalgoals,teachingstrengtheningexercisesforcore,legmusclesandmanual handlingtechniques. • Surgery: • If a combination of above fails to provide adequate relief then surgical options such as discectomy (operationtoremovebulgingpartofthediscorseparateddiscfragments)andmicrodiscectomycanbe considered for sciatica resulting from disc bulge. Surgical options will vary depending on the cause of sciaticaandsometimesmaybethefirst choice,dependingontheactualpathologyand itsseverity. ©Dr.AmodManocha@removemypain.com

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