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What Are The Symptoms Of Sciatica?
Question: what are symtoms of sciatica
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Brief Answer:
Read below
Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome to HealthcareMagic.
Main symptom of sciatica is pain, pain starting from the lower back or buttocks and irradiating in the back of the leg, often to the foot and toes. May also be associated with abnormal sensations such as burning, tingling or numbness in that distribution. Commonly exacerbated by sitting down for long periods.
It is called that way as symptoms are considered due to compression of the sciatic nerve, but that term doesn't specify the origin of the compression. It may be in the lower back due to spinal degenerative changes but may also be further down like in the piriformis syndrome where compression is from the piriformis muscle or issues of the sacroiliac joint which can also irritate the sciatic nerve.
I remain at your disposal for other questions.
Read below
Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome to HealthcareMagic.
Main symptom of sciatica is pain, pain starting from the lower back or buttocks and irradiating in the back of the leg, often to the foot and toes. May also be associated with abnormal sensations such as burning, tingling or numbness in that distribution. Commonly exacerbated by sitting down for long periods.
It is called that way as symptoms are considered due to compression of the sciatic nerve, but that term doesn't specify the origin of the compression. It may be in the lower back due to spinal degenerative changes but may also be further down like in the piriformis syndrome where compression is from the piriformis muscle or issues of the sacroiliac joint which can also irritate the sciatic nerve.
I remain at your disposal for other questions.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Any treatment for this problem.
Brief Answer:
Depends on the origin
Detailed Answer:
Generally speaking treatment consists in physical therapy and pain killers. When that is not enough local injections of steroids and analgesics are tried. If nothing works and there is an evident compression site surgery is tried.
In your case though before speaking or steps other than physical therapy and pain killers, one would have to identify the precise cause. As I said the term sciatica indicates merely pain in the territory covered by that nerve, but not the origin of the compression which as I tried to explain in my previous answer can be at several points. So the doctor should provide some more explanation other than saying sciatica, saying simply that you are in pain is not of much use. It is unclear what he thinks about the cause, whether from compression in the back, from sacroiliac joint, piriformis muscle or any other issue. Without identifying the compression site where to aim one can't speak of injections or surgery.
If he thinks the origin is still in the back (there is a percentage of patients in which back surgery unfortunately fails), then treatment for chronic pain would include over the counter pain killers like ibuprofen, naproxen and medication for neuropathic pain like gabapentin, Pregabalin or duloxetine.
Depends on the origin
Detailed Answer:
Generally speaking treatment consists in physical therapy and pain killers. When that is not enough local injections of steroids and analgesics are tried. If nothing works and there is an evident compression site surgery is tried.
In your case though before speaking or steps other than physical therapy and pain killers, one would have to identify the precise cause. As I said the term sciatica indicates merely pain in the territory covered by that nerve, but not the origin of the compression which as I tried to explain in my previous answer can be at several points. So the doctor should provide some more explanation other than saying sciatica, saying simply that you are in pain is not of much use. It is unclear what he thinks about the cause, whether from compression in the back, from sacroiliac joint, piriformis muscle or any other issue. Without identifying the compression site where to aim one can't speak of injections or surgery.
If he thinks the origin is still in the back (there is a percentage of patients in which back surgery unfortunately fails), then treatment for chronic pain would include over the counter pain killers like ibuprofen, naproxen and medication for neuropathic pain like gabapentin, Pregabalin or duloxetine.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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