Introduction To Sciatica

In simple terms, any pain that arises from irritation of sciatic nerve, it is termed as sciatica. But a question here arises that what is this sciatic nerve?

The sciatic nerve is the longest and widest nerve in human body that runs from lower back, from buttocks and then ends just below the knee. The sciatic nerve controls many muscles in the lower leg. It also allows that area to be sensitive to touch.

Now, moving back to sciatica; anything that irritates sciatic nerve causes pain that ranges from mild to severe; which is usually from a compressed root nerve from lower spine. The term is often confused with back pain in general. However, it is not just limited to back. In fact, sciatica is not just a medical condition; rather it’s a symptom of another problem involving sciatic nerve.

According to MediLexicon’s medical dictionary, sciatica is actually "Pain in the lower back and hip radiating down the back of the thigh into the leg, initially attributed to sciatic nerve dysfunction (hence the term), but now known to usually be due to herniated lumbar disk compressing a nerve root, most commonly the [5th lumbar vertebra] or [1st sacral vertebra] root."

Sciatica can be a symptom for many different medical conditions, the most pervasive being a herniated or commonly known as slipped disc. A slipped disc occurs when a disc is temporarily pushed out of its place in the spine and is pressurizing the sciatic nerve. Although there is no obvious single cause for sciatica, some risk factors can be involved too, which includes:

• Age factor: people in their late 30s and 40s have a higher risk of developing sciatica, which can happen due to deterioration of disc.
• Profession factor: this includes jobs which require lifting heavy weights for long period.
• Sedentary lifestyle: people who are physically inactive and sit for longer period of time are more likely to develop sciatica, as compared to people who are physically active.

If the pain is mild and does not last longer than four to eight weeks, it’s probably acute and generally does not require medical attention, as it tends to resolve itself. But if pain persists for longer period, imaging tests such as MRI etc are necessary to help identify the reason of irritation of sciatic nerve. And then you need to consider sciatica treatment.

There are generally two types of sciatica:

1. Acute or short-term sciatica: this typically does not require professional help and can be reduced with over-the-counter painkillers combined with application of hot and cold packs and exercises for lower back pain. It may last between four to eight weeks.
2. Chronic or long-term sciatica: in this, pain may persist for longer period of time and may require physical therapy, which may include specialized sciatica exercises and chiropractic treatment combined with prescription painkillers. If these methods fail to pacify your sciatica then surgery may also be advised.

Sciatica cannot be prevented in some cases, but there are several lifestyle changes that can reduce chances of developing it which includes proper exercise and adopting proper body posture. For further information on sciatica treatment, visit Khanhtrinhvn.com

About The Author

James Downing is an expert on the subject of different kinds of Sciatica exercises and treatments. He loves to write interesting articles and blogs on the topic and recommends Khanhtrinhvn.com as the name to trust for information about how to grow taller.