Cody Frye
What is the Sciatic Nerve and Sciatica? The Sciatic nerve is the single largest nerve in the body The sciatic nerve starts in the lumbar portion of the spine (L3) Sciatica symptoms will occur when the Sciatic nerve is irritated or compressed Sciatic symptoms are more prevalent with increase in age Sciatica (or sciatic nerve pain) is a sharp, tingling pain in the lower back, buttocks and legs Because the nerve spans the lower portion of the spine, different regions of the back, buttocks and legs can be affected by an injury
Causes of Sciatica There are several causes of Sciatica: Slipped disk- The spinal disks are located in between the vertebrae of the spine. The disk is made of cartilage and filled with a gel-like center, that places pressure on the spinal nerves when it comes out of place. Pulled muscle- The piriformis is a muscle that spans the lower back across the top of the Sciatic nerve. Pulling the piriformis can cause pressure on the nerve, causing sharp pain. Accident- any quick twisting motion of the pelvic region can cause a slight pinch in the nerve.
Symptoms of Sciatica Symptoms of Sciatica can vary depending on where the impingement to the spinal nerve occurs For example, a pinch in L5 can cause numbness in the big toe and ceased ability to raise the foot, whereas a pinch in SI (sacral) can cause weakness in the gastrocnemius (calf muscle) Other symptoms include: Lower back pain Constant pain on the left or right side Pain that feels better when lying down/sitting, but worse when sitting up/standing Inability to raise foot when walking (foot drop) Most commonly a sharp, pins and needles pain (rather than dull)
Pain Relief Most Sciatic injuries will heal themselves in 4 to 6 weeks, depending on the severity of the injury Other relief options include: Surgery (has been shown to alleviate pain and have less drawbacks than non-surgical procedures Physical/Massage Therapy Common NSAIDs such as Aspirin, Ibuprofen, Tylenol, etc.. Heat and Cold therapy or Kinesiology Tape (KT) Stretches for the lower back/buttocks/hamstrings areas Prescribed exercise to strengthen spinals/buttocks muscles
Other Important Notes It is estimated that 1-2% of people will have some sort of sciatic injury at one point in their lives Sciatic injuries can heal themselves with proper rest and relaxation of the muscles around the spinal nerve Sciatic injuries relating to slipped disks are twice as common in men as women, and mostly occur in your 30 s The injury can affect other part of daily living so if you do attain a sciatic injury, the best thing to do for that injury is to allow your body to properly rest/recover In severe cases, this injury can affect bladder functioning, so it is best to exercise caution if you believe you have a sciatic injury.
Sources Atlas, S. J., MD., Keller, R. B., MD., Chang, Y., PhD., Deyo, R. A., MD., & Singer, D. E., MD. (n.d.). Surgical and Nonsurgical Management of Sciatica Secondary to a Lumbar Disc Herniation [PDF]. SPINE Magazie. Volume 26, Number 10 pp. 1179-1187. Hochschuler, S. H., Dr. (2000, March 30). What You Need to Know About Sciatica. Retrieved March 21, 2016, from http://www.spine-health.com/conditions/sciatica/what-you-need-know-about-sciatica Ludvig Fjeld Solheim, Per Siewers & Bernhard Paus (1981) The Piriformis Muscle Syndrome: Sciatic Nerve Entrapment Treated with Section of the Piriformis Muscle, Acta Orthopaedica Scandinavica, 52:1, 73-75, DOI: 10.3109/17453678108991762 Pinched Lumbar Nerve. (n.d.). Retrieved March 21, 2016, from https://www.laserspineinstitute.com/back_problems/pinched_nerve/lumbar/ Laser Spine Institute Slipped Disk: Overview. (2014, October 09). Retrieved March 21, 2016, from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/pmht0024494/
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