Dealing with the Pain of Sciatica

If you’ve been around anyone with sciatica, you know it’s a painful form of back pain. 

Sciatica is a pain in the leg arising from compression of the sciatic nerve which runs from the spine down the legs to the feet and is often caused by a herniated disc.  If you’ve ever gone to the doctor with a sore back, the first thing they will ask you is if you have and pain or numbness in your leg.

Fortunately, between 80 to 90 percent of people with sciatica get better without having to have surgery.

What are the symptoms of sciatica?

Sciatica has been described as having a burning or tingling feeling or like having a small electrical shock. The pain can run from your buttock, down the back of your thighs. Everyday activities like sitting or even coughing can be very painful.

Pay close attention to the numbness in your legs.  If it persists or if you lose control of your bowels, then go and see a doctor.  This could be a sign of a rare condition called cauda equine which needs immediate surgery.

The good news is that sciatica is mainly an inflammation that eventually dies down.  Recovery can be in as little as two week but it could also take a few months.  Paralysis is not a factor with sciatica.

The causes of sciatica

Sciatica is usually not the result of any accident or fall.  Instead, it’s normally just caused by wear and tear on our back.  That’s why 30-50 year olds are the ones for whom it is most common. 

As we get older, the intervertebral discs of our spine experience degeneration and from that a herniated disc can occur.   With a herniated disc, the disk protrudes pushing against the nerve in the lower back.  There is a misperception that sciatica is a deadened nerve but it is simply the compression of the nerve.

How can sciatica be treated?

The first priority is to alleviate the pain.  Your doctor may prescribe anti-inflammatory medicine such as ibuprofen to help calm the inflammation, but full pain relief could take a few days and may involve bed rest. 

Treatment for sciatica can be surgical or non-surgical.  Non-surgical treatment involves stretching and exercising.  Be sure to keep as active as possible since this helps the recovery but be careful about what exercises you do.  Walking and jogging have been cited as sports that may cause sciatica.

Sciatica surgery is common and the objective is to remove the source of the nerve irritation. Over 90% of sciatica operations are successful.