SCIATICA/RADIATING LOW BACK PAIN.

Low back pain can be devastating in your daily routine. It can be worsened if it radiates to the buttock/thigh or leg.

If your back pain is worsened by sitting for long, bending, rising from chair or getting off bed, and radiates to the buttock and legs, then you’re likely to have sciatica.

Sciatica is simply low back pain radiating to the lower limbs either both or one.

Signs and symptoms.

Radicular leg pain.

Back/buttock pain.

Numbness of the thigh/leg.

Muscle weakness

Tingling/hot/cold/burning sensation on the legs.

Change on gait pattern/how you walk.

Causes.

Sciatica can occur suddenly with intermittent or continuous symptoms. This type is usually worsened by coughing/sneezing or during defecation.

Other causes include;

Spinal stenosis-this is the narrowing of intervertebral disc space.

Spondylosis- degenerative disease of intervertebral bodies.

Spinal inflammation resulting in compression of sciatic nerve.

Pregnancy.

Spinal tumors among others.

Any condition that results in compression of sciatic nerve, will result in sciatica.

Treatment and management;

Before treatment, examination is usually done starting from the history to physical examination and imaging if necessary.

This is to determine the exact location of the problem, the cause and guides in treatment.

Other conditions like piriformis syndrome, lumber muscle spasms; sacroiliac dysfunction may reproduce symptoms mimicking sciatica.

Treatment is usually conservative; that’s physiotherapy, activity modification and medication

In severe cases, steroid injections and surgery are recommended.

To prevent sciatica;

Always be active

Carry recommended weight in relation to your weight, strength- will be discussed later.

Do both aerobic and strength exercises as discussed before.

Visit your physician or physiotherapist and have regular checkups, once or twice isn’t bad.

Use proper footwear.

This is just a summary, we will be talking about it in details.