Sciatica Pain

Detail Guide of Sciatica Pain

All those who have experienced sciatica pain know how painful and excruciating it can be. Until now many people believe that sciatica is a disease, but it is a symptom. It results from problems that are associated with the sciatic nerve, such as inflammation, compression and injury near it.

Very challenging when dealing with extreme sciatica pain. The impact will make simple activities such as getting dressed, going to the bathroom, and standing will be difficult to do. Every part of a person's life will be affected when having extreme sciatica pain. Another effect is that you never seem to get enough sleep because of a shift in position can cause considerable pain to awaken. Driving becomes difficult because sciatica nerve pain may prevent full control over the clutch, gas and brake pedals. That same pain also interrupts concentration, making it hard to work.

Sciatica Pain Symptoms

- There is a constant pain coming down one side from the lower back, through the thigh and down the leg.

- The pain becomes worse while sitting.

- Difficulty moving the leg coupled with numbing.

- Flashes of acute pain

- The sciatic nerve is the largest nerve in our body and is made up of a series of nerve roots that start off in the lower back and runs on down the leg. The pain can therefore be present in the lower back or the leg and in some cases both presenting a continuous ache through the back and the leg.

- The pain is caused by pressure on the nerve that can take place in different parts along one of the two sciatic nerves. The symptom of the specific pain will also depend on where this pressure is taking place which is why sciatic pain can be felt in the lower back, or the leg. Similarly that pressure along the sciatic nerve will cause the different symptoms (while sitting, through the back and into the leg, flashes of pain or the leg movement difficulties).

- The majority of sciatica pain attacks are usually over in a short period of time, from a few days to one or two weeks and tend to disappear on their own. Though the episode is of short duration, pain relief is needed. If it is a one-off event and gets better on its own you will soon forget about it. However if the pain is recurrent it is always advisable to visit a specialist as this could be an indication that you should take preventive measures to avoid a worsening of the situation. The type of therapy that will generally be advised is based on guided exercise and pain management.

- There are cases where the severity of the pain is such that you need a more aggressive solution or when the pain does not diminish on its own. For these cases a structured program involving physical therapy will be needed and in more acute and severe cases there is the possibility of needing a surgical intervention.

The Pain of Sciatica Causes

Piriformis syndrome is the most common cause of sciatica pain. Piriformis Syndrome occurs when the piriformis muscle, due to tightness or spasms, pinched or compressed the sciatic nerve.The piriformis muscle starts in the lower spine, it crosses the buttocks, and connects to the thigh bone, if this muscle becomes inflamed and swollen it will pinch or put pressure on the nerve causing the sciatica pain. This is because the nerve runs underneath the muscle so, when the muscle swells it places pressure on the nerve which causes the pain you feel in your lower back, buttocks, and legs.

Sciatica might create pain and discomfort, weakness, even lack of feeling along the sciatic nerve's pathway. Moreover, it's accompanied by low lower back pain and afflicts every individual at some time and to some extent. Again and again, this perplexing problem causes lower back pain that can occur unexpectedly and can go on for an extended time. For this and several other reasons, when back pain sufferers ignore sciatica pain, they are ignoring a issue that may turn into a life-long battle. Though the causes for sciatica pain are abundant, it should not be assumed that it is just an aggravated muscle. Infections, ruptured discs, internal bleeding, and causes which are more serious aren't uncommon. Suffering through the pain will not make it go away.

Sciatica Pain Treatment

Medical practitioner will talk with you about your treatment options after they have identified what is causing your sciatica pain. Some of the things are included in your treatment is as follows:

- Muscle relaxers - these can also help in relaxing the muscles associated with your sciatica and relieving the pain.

- Anti-inflammatory medications - since sciatica is typically caused by inflammation and compression on the sciatic nerve, medical practitioners usually prescribe anti-inflammatory medications for people suffering from sciatica. These medications also help relieve the pain of sciatica.

- Physical therapy - physical therapy is also recommended for people with sciatica pain.

- Exercise - people who suffer from sciatica may prefer to lie in bed so they don't experience any pain, but a sedentary lifestyle can actually worsen the sciatic nerve pain you're feeling. Exercise is usually recommended for those with sciatica since this can help build your buttocks and leg muscles to prevent further injury to your sciatic nerve.

There are also other treatments available for those suffering from sciatica if the conventional treatment options do not work. So do not give up and lose hope if you've tried these things but keep looking for another treatment if the sciatica pain has not healed. There are many resources out there that can give you help for sciatica.