Sciatica Causes

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Sciatica Causes

Sciatica is a group of symptoms that are the result of some sort of nerve injury or impingement on the sciatic nerve. This nerve is the longest and widest in the body, and it begins in the lower back and extends into the buttocks, legs, and feet. While its physical reach is extensive, its effect on a person’s life can be even greater, and sciatica symptoms can be significant enough to inhibit a person from living a normal daily life and can even result in a lower quality of life.

Some of these sciatica symptoms include:

Pain
Burning
Tingling
Numbness
Muscle spasms
Muscle weakness

Types of Sciatica Causes

There are many sciatica causes, but they can be divided into these four categories:

Genetics - Sciatica sufferers can be predisposed to developing one or more of the conditions that can result in the group of symptoms.
Injury - Traumatic injury such as that from a car accident can cause a condition that affects the sciatic nerve, including bulging or herniated disc.
Wear and tear - Simple daily use can cause such degeneration in the spine that the sciatic nerve becomes compressed, resulting in sciatica.
Disease - Diseases that can damage nerves such as diabetes can result in sciatica.

Treatments for Sciatica

Treating sciatica begins with receiving a proper diagnosis from your doctor. Once the underlying condition is identified, you will likely be prescribed a conservative treatment plan that could include one or more of these following methods:

Pain medications
Stretching
Rest
Spinal decompression
Hot and cold compresses
Exercise
More

If these fail to work, your doctor could recommend surgery as a final option. If you want to learn more about surgical options such as the endoscopic techniques performed at Laser Spine Institute, or you’d like a complimentary review of your MRI or CT scan to determine if you’re eligible for one of these procedures, contact us.

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