Sciatica Pain
Is My Back Pain Sciatica?
If you suffer from chronic pain or numbness in your lower back, especially if it travels down your body, from the butt and through the back of your legs, you may be suffering from sciatica. This is a condition that occurs when the sciatic nerve is injured or compressed by something along its length. This nerve is formed by the roots coming out of the spinal cord, and extending into the lower back.
Have you been suffering from persistent lower back pain for some time and nothing seems to give you any relief? Contact the caring and experienced staff at Lakeland Spine Center today for an immediate appointment to begin testing you for sciatica.
Symptoms of Sciatica
The general symptoms of sciatica include pain in the lower back or buttocks, tingling and numbness throughout and weakness in the legs, ankle and feet. Tingling along the back of the legs can also occur, and the buttocks may go numb when you sit for long lengths of time. Movements that cause the spine to flex, like climbing stairs, will often cause chronic pain in the lumbar region of the lower back.
What Causes Sciatica?
This condition is often caused by a herniated disc, arthritis or injuries to that area. A herniated disc when it begins to bulge out of its protective covering will often place pressure on the spinal nerve roots that radiate out of the spinal column, causing pain and tingling to run along its length. Arthritis can cause bone spurs to grow along the spinal column, narrowing the area the spinal cord runs through. Injuries to the lower back may result in a pinched nerve condition to come about, causing the same symptoms.
How is Sciatica Diagnosed?
In order to determine what is causing the pressure to occur, a lengthy medical history detailing everything about your pain and family history will be taken, along with a physical exam. In some cases, X-rays or an MRI may be ordered to pinpoint the exact physical cause. There are other medical conditions that have the same symptoms, like spinal stenosis, tumors, and even pregnancy that will have to be ruled out before treatment can begin.
Treatment Options for Sciatica
Once the cause has been determined, the actual treatment will depend upon exactly what is causing the pain. Often beginning treatment will include medications to reduce inflammation, along with exercise and physical therapy. It starts with being aware of actions that will aggravate your symptoms, and avoiding them, like sitting for too long or too much physical exertion that continually causes your spine to flex. Stretching exercises that help the spine to lengthen or straighten out will help the symptoms fade over time.
Very rarely are options like surgery used unless your condition calls for it. Chiropractic adjustments can alleviate moderate symptoms, and the majority of sciatica conditions will fade away over time. In extreme cases, nerve blockers or steroid injections may be used if the pain is too much, but only if your doctor approves of it.
Sciatica Pain
Is My Back Pain Sciatica?
If you suffer from chronic pain or numbness in your lower back, especially if it travels down your body, from the butt and through the back of your legs, you may be suffering from sciatica. This is a condition that occurs when the sciatic nerve is injured or compressed by something along its length. This nerve is formed by the roots coming out of the spinal cord, and extending into the lower back.
Have you been suffering from persistent lower back pain for some time and nothing seems to give you any relief? Contact the caring and experienced staff at Lakeland Spine Center today for an immediate appointment to begin testing you for sciatica.
Symptoms of Sciatica
The general symptoms of sciatica include pain in the lower back or buttocks, tingling and numbness throughout and weakness in the legs, ankle and feet. Tingling along the back of the legs can also occur, and the buttocks may go numb when you sit for long lengths of time. Movements that cause the spine to flex, like climbing stairs, will often cause chronic pain in the lumbar region of the lower back.
What Causes Sciatica?
This condition is often caused by a herniated disc, arthritis or injuries to that area. A herniated disc when it begins to bulge out of its protective covering will often place pressure on the spinal nerve roots that radiate out of the spinal column, causing pain and tingling to run along its length. Arthritis can cause bone spurs to grow along the spinal column, narrowing the area the spinal cord runs through. Injuries to the lower back may result in a pinched nerve condition to come about, causing the same symptoms.
How is Sciatica Diagnosed?
In order to determine what is causing the pressure to occur, a lengthy medical history detailing everything about your pain and family history will be taken, along with a physical exam. In some cases, X-rays or an MRI may be ordered to pinpoint the exact physical cause. There are other medical conditions that have the same symptoms, like spinal stenosis, tumors, and even pregnancy that will have to be ruled out before treatment can begin.
Treatment Options for Sciatica
Once the cause has been determined, the actual treatment will depend upon exactly what is causing the pain. Often beginning treatment will include medications to reduce inflammation, along with exercise and physical therapy. It starts with being aware of actions that will aggravate your symptoms, and avoiding them, like sitting for too long or too much physical exertion that continually causes your spine to flex. Stretching exercises that help the spine to lengthen or straighten out will help the symptoms fade over time.
Very rarely are options like surgery used unless your condition calls for it. Chiropractic adjustments can alleviate moderate symptoms, and the majority of sciatica conditions will fade away over time. In extreme cases, nerve blockers or steroid injections may be used if the pain is too much, but only if your doctor approves of it.