Sciatica refers to the pain that travels along the sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve is a nerve that travels from the buttocks down to the legs.
Sciatica happens when irritation, inflammation, pinching or compression affects the sciatic nerves.
In addition to pain, it can involve tingling or numbness in your back or buttocks that may radiate down your leg.
The sciatic nerve is the longest and thickest nerve in your body. Despite its name, it’s not just a nerve. It is a bundle of nerves that come from five nerve roots branching off from your spinal cord.
There are two sciatic nerves, one on each side of your body. Each of them runs through the hip and buttocks on one side of your body. They each go down the leg on their side of the body until they reach just below the knee.
Having sciatica means you can experience mild to severe pain anywhere with nerves that connect to the sciatic nerve.
Pain: Most people describe sciatica pain as burning or like an electric shock. It happens because of the pressure on the affected nerves.
Tingling (pins and needles): This is like the feeling you have when a leg falls asleep because you sat cross-legged.
Numbness: This is when you can’t feel sensations on the skin in the affected areas of your leg or back.
Muscle weakness: This means that muscle command signals are having trouble reaching their destinations in your back or legs.
Urinary or faecal incontinence: It means signals that control your bladder and bowels aren’t reaching their destinations.
Osteoarthritis.
Spondylolisthesis.
Degenerative disc disease.
Herniated disc.
Injuries.
Spinal stenosis.
Foraminal stenosis.
Pregnancy.
Tumors, cysts or other growths.
Conus medullas syndrome.
Cauda equina syndrome.
Most people recover fully from sciatica. However, a possible complication of sciatica is chronic (long-term) pain.
If there’s serious damage to an affected nerve, chronic muscle weakness, such as a “drop foot,” might happen. That’s when nerve damage causes numbness in your foot, which makes normal walking difficult or even impossible.
Sciatica can also potentially cause permanent nerve damage, resulting in a loss of feeling in the affected legs.
Physical examination: The doctor monitors your walking, straights out your legs to examine pain.
Spine X-rays.
Computed tomography (CT) scan.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan.
Electromyography.
Myelogram.
Nerve conduction velocity studies.
Some causes of sciatica are preventable, but others happen unpredictably or for unknown reasons. For the causes that aren’t preventable, it may still be possible to reduce your risk of developing them.
The following can help prevent sciatica or reduce the risk of it happening:
Maintain good posture. Follow good posture techniques while you’re sitting, standing, lifting objects and sleeping.
Quit (or don’t start) using tobacco products. Nicotine from any source (including vaping) reduces blood supply to your bones, which can weaken your spine and its various components.
Reach and maintain a weight that’s healthy for you. Your primary care provider can guide you on how to eat and get physical activity. Make sure you get enough calcium and vitamin D for bone health, too.
Stay active. Physical activity can include everything from stretching to strength training. Increasing core strength and flexibility can improve back pain. Other forms of activity, such as aerobic exercise, can also help you reach and maintain a weight that’s healthy for you.
Protect yourself from falls. Wear shoes that fit and keep stairs and walkways free of clutter to reduce your chance of a fall. Make sure rooms are well-lit, and there are grab bars in bathrooms and rails on stairways.
Take time to recover if needed. Don’t try to work through back pain. That can lead to even worse injuries. Back pain doesn’t have to keep you from being active, either. You can still participate in low-impact activities such as swimming, walking, yoga or tai chi.
Physical therapy and medication help strengthen and mobilize tissues in the lower back, pelvis, abdomen, buttocks, and thighs.
The goals of physical therapy and exercise in treating the signs and symptoms of sciatica are to:
This is a blend of essential minerals to support both nerve and joint health, promoting healthy nerve function and mobility while reducing swelling, relieving stiffness, and soothing tenderness in the sciatic nerve.
It contains glucosamine, chondroitin, and MSM which specifically targets the sciatic nerve and improves nerve function.
These nutrients work together to repair and protect joint cartilage, reducing pain, inflammation and related underlying conditions.
The treatment also includes creams infused with aloe vera, camphor, and menthol.
These natural ingredients work to relieve pain, promote a warm and relaxing sensation, and protect nerves from damage with powerful antioxidants.
This comprehensive approach helps you overcome the root causes of sciatica, prevent future injuries, and achieve optimal joint and nerve health.
Forever Champion Health Center combines the use of physical therapy and organic medicine to treat sciatica and other underlying conditions without any complications or side effects.
GHC 1500.00
GHC 2,700.00
GHC4,500.00
