Print
BlinkList
del.icio.us
Digg
Facebook
StumbleUpon
Technorati
Sciatica is caused by irritation to the sciatic nerve, which runs from the lower back through the buttocks and down the backs of the legs into the soles of the feet. Sciatica is not a condition itself, but rather a specific collection of symptoms that are felt in the lower back, buttocks, back of the legs, and/or feet and that result from the irritation of the sciatic nerve. These symptoms include pain, tingling, numbness, an inability to move muscles in these areas, muscle spasms, and more. Depending on the cause, sciatica symptoms range in type and severity for each person. Sciatica causes include:
- Herniated disc
- Facet joint disease
- Arthritis in the spine
- Bone spurs
- Whole-body illnesses like diabetes, which can affect nerves
- A fracture in the pelvis or spine, or other traumatic injury
- Bulging disc
- Spinal stenosis
- More
Treatments for Sciatica Causes
Because there are so many possible causes for sciatica, the treatments are varied as well. Effective treatment should be tailored to suit the particulars of each patient's condition. However, there are a number of conservative techniques that are used for a majority of cases, either in an effort to alleviate the condition causing sciatica or to minimize symptoms enough that the patient can live a fulfilling life.
These conservative techniques include:
- Spinal steroid injections
- Spinal decompression therapy
- Hot/cold compresses
- Stretching
- Rest
- Pain medications
- More
For more information on sciatica causes, or to learn about the minimally invasive techniques performed at Laser Spine Institute to treat conditions resulting in sciatica, contact us. We'll have one of our spine doctors review your MRI or CT scan free of charge and let you know if you qualify for one of these endoscopic procedures.