A person can suffer from sciatica and not know what the disease is, its symptoms, and the existence of causes, so we provide a lot of information related to sciatica in the following article.

Sciatica

Sciatica is a disease that affects the sciatic nerve, which connects more than one part of the body, starting from the bottom of the spinal cord, passing through the thigh to the leg, which is the longest in the body, and the inflammation that occurs as a result of the presence of pain pressing on the beginning of the nerve at the end of the spine.

There is a sciatic nerve that extends in each leg, and it may get inflammation in one leg, and this is what usually happens, and the inflammation may be in both legs together, and usually, the person is exposed to sciatica as a side effect of other diseases that affect the nerve, including a herniated disc.

Where is sciatica found?

The sciatic nerve, which is responsible for sciatica, is located in the back of the body, starting from the last end of the spinal cord at the end of the back vertebrae, passing through the buttocks and reaching the foot and its extremities, and the person can feel a lot of pain in the affected leg that is similar to tingling from inflammation of the sciatic nerve.

Sciatica affects the body when the sciatic nerve is exposed to excessive pressure or tension, and the person suffers from more than one symptom, including severe pain and soreness from the end of the cartilage to the leg, and there is difficulty in controlling the bladder.

Sciatica causes and treatment

There is more than one cause of sciatica pain, and it happens to both men and women, but the infection rates can increase in women due to pregnancy, and we offer you some common causes of sciatica:

Exposure to disc injury (slipped disc).
The piriformis syndrome is the muscle that connects the spine and the buttocks and any injury that occurs in it causes the person to have sciatica.
Stenosis of the vertebrae resulting from the presence of swelling or cancerous injuries in the passage in which the spinal cord and its nerves, including the sciatic nerve, are located.
Erosion or damage to the gel disc located between the vertebrae in the back, which puts great pressure on the nerves of the spinal cord, causing inflammation.
Inflammation of the sacroiliac joints that connect the spine and pelvic bones.
Cauda equina syndrome, which affects a person’s ability to control their bladder and bowels.
Weight gain and fluid storage in the body during pregnancy.

There is more than one way in which sciatica can be treated, which works to increase the chances of getting rid of the symptoms of the disease and the severe pain caused by it.

Symptoms of sciatica

A sciatica patient feels some symptoms that usually last for a while and then end, but when the symptoms worsen or affect movement and its impediment, you must refer to the attending physician, and sciatic nerve injuries are often related to health problems that afflicted the spine and led to pressure on the nerves and spinal cord or bone protrusions in the vertebrae.

Symptoms of sciatica are as follows:

The pain usually starts in the lower back and goes down to the leg.
The pain is similar to tingling and burning that afflicts the leg and reaches the ends of the foot.
The appearance of muscle weakness, especially in the affected man.
The pain can increase when sitting for long periods or involuntary movements such as coughing.
Increased pain at night and a feeling of pain when lifting heavy things.
Numbness or tingling in the affected leg.

How is sciatica diagnosed?

There are some steps that the doctor follows in order for the diagnosis of sciatica to be accurate, and the procedures are as follows:

The patient begins with blood tests to identify the type of inflammation in the nerve.
Magnetic resonance imaging and detection of defects in the vertebrae.
Muscle electromyography can be done to see the extent of the damage.

The best treatment for sciatica

Many people ask what is sciatica and its treatment, which is one of the types of inflammation of the injury that occurs in the sciatic nerve specifically and results in severe pain in the back of the body, starting from the lower end of the spine to the leg, which may disturb the person and make his movement limited, and there are effective treatment methods for sciatica that work to reduce its symptoms and relieve pain.

Sciatica treatment can include several procedures that the doctor will guide you according to the health condition that led to sciatica, and usually, the treatment of sciatica is associated with treating the underlying cause, which puts great pressure on the nerve.

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Methods of treating sciatica

Pharmacological treatment: Treatment can help with drugs that relieve pain and reduce pain in the affected part, including painkillers such as morphine and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
Conservative treatment: The doctor can recommend some home steps that contribute to the treatment of sciatica pain, the patient can use ice packs and hot water compresses alternately, and also take sufficient rest.
Physiotherapy: Physical or physical therapy contributes to relieving pressure on the nerve and strengthening muscles that limit the strength of pain.
Herbal treatment: Anti-inflammatory herbs such as turmeric can reduce pain caused by inflammation of the sciatic nerve and make the patient feel better.

Frequently questions about sciatica

Does sciatica cause frequent urination?

Sciatica, especially resulting from cauda equina syndrome, can increase the person’s need to urinate and the loss of the ability to control the bladder as before, and this results from the presence of excessive pressure on the sciatic nerve, which leads to a defect in the functions of the bladder, and although this condition is rare, there is a need to refer to the doctor.

Is sciatica permanent?

Sciatica pain can go away permanently when it is treated and appropriate treatment is obtained for the disease that caused it, whether a herniated disc or piriformis syndrome and other causes of pressure and inflammation of the sciatic nerve and the person returns to practicing his life normally.

But sometimes the nerve can be damaged excessively leading to damage, and this appears in some symptoms that require a referral again to the attending physician, including weakness in the affected leg, inability to control the bladder, and sometimes loss of sensation in the affected leg.

Is sports useful when sciatica?

Exercising is one of the types of physiotherapy used in sciatica because exercise helps to strengthen the muscles and reduce the relaxation in them and helps reduce the pain that a person suffered due to inflammation.

Walking is one of the best exercises that can be done because sitting for long periods causes excessive damage to the affected nerve, and the person can walk for a short period a day as much as possible and divide the walking period throughout the day.