The sciatic nerve originates from the lower back and extends past the hips and buttocks and down the legs. Sciatic nerve pain, sometimes called sciatica, may result when a tissue like a disk or bone spur compresses part of this nerve. This condition is characterized by varying types of pain, numbness in the leg, inflammation and typically affects one side of the body. Pain can be severe and disabling, causing many sufferers to seek professional health care advice. Treatments options are available for this condition. Many people prefer to see a Doctor of Chiropractic for sciatica.
Questions asked by a health care specialist include determining if the patient is experiencing weakness or numbness in the legs, whether related pain is limiting ability to function and whether the lifestyle includes regular exercise or heavy physical work. Another significant question is whether any activities, times of day, or body positions increase or decrease the amount of pain. The doctor will also note the effectiveness of any previous treatments that the patient has already tried.
Muscle strength and body reflexes are assessed by conducting a physical examination. Pain is likely to worsen when the patient walks on the toes or heels or rises from the squat position. If a patient complains of severe or ongoing pain, a doctor may order imaging tests to detect the presence of a bone spur or herniated disk. A spinal X-ray may reveal a bone spur while a herniated disk is revealed by an MRI. A computerized topography, or CT, scan may involve the injection of dye into the spinal canal to make the spinal nerves and spinal cord more distinguishable on an X-ray.
Anti-inflammatories, narcotics, and muscle relaxants may be prescribed to treat sciatic pain. Some doctors prescribe tricyclic antidepressant or anti-seizure medications for the pain. A corticosteroid medication injected around the root of the involved nerve is sometimes prescribed to temporarily suppress the inflammation around this nerve. Steroid injection treatment should be prescribed only on a limited basis because risk of severe side effects increases with injection frequency.
Sciatica, on occasion, may positively respond to self-treatment. Patients should avoid pain aggravation by not being sedentary and remaining mildly active and using cold packs, as needed. If a patient experiences significant muscle weakness, incontinence of bladder or bowels, or pain that gets progressively worse or fails to improve following other treatment, surgery may be recommended. A surgeon will remove the bone spur or part of the herniated disk that is irritating the sciatic nerve.
Research indicates that chiropractic care can help up to 95 percent of patients improve. In fact, patients that are treated first by a chiropractor are less likely to undergo surgery than those who initially visit a surgeon. A scientific study published in the December 2012 issue of Spine revealed that 42.7 percent of workers suffering from back injuries who first visited a surgeon eventually had back surgery. Only 1.5 percent of patients suffering from sciatica who initially visited a chiropractor underwent surgery.
Many cases of sciatica resolve after several weeks of treatment. Doctors do not usually recommend surgery unless a patient continues to experience severe symptoms after six weeks of ongoing treatment. Patients have alternatives to surgery that should be explored with their doctors and medical specialists including chiropractors.
Questions asked by a health care specialist include determining if the patient is experiencing weakness or numbness in the legs, whether related pain is limiting ability to function and whether the lifestyle includes regular exercise or heavy physical work. Another significant question is whether any activities, times of day, or body positions increase or decrease the amount of pain. The doctor will also note the effectiveness of any previous treatments that the patient has already tried.
Muscle strength and body reflexes are assessed by conducting a physical examination. Pain is likely to worsen when the patient walks on the toes or heels or rises from the squat position. If a patient complains of severe or ongoing pain, a doctor may order imaging tests to detect the presence of a bone spur or herniated disk. A spinal X-ray may reveal a bone spur while a herniated disk is revealed by an MRI. A computerized topography, or CT, scan may involve the injection of dye into the spinal canal to make the spinal nerves and spinal cord more distinguishable on an X-ray.
Anti-inflammatories, narcotics, and muscle relaxants may be prescribed to treat sciatic pain. Some doctors prescribe tricyclic antidepressant or anti-seizure medications for the pain. A corticosteroid medication injected around the root of the involved nerve is sometimes prescribed to temporarily suppress the inflammation around this nerve. Steroid injection treatment should be prescribed only on a limited basis because risk of severe side effects increases with injection frequency.
Sciatica, on occasion, may positively respond to self-treatment. Patients should avoid pain aggravation by not being sedentary and remaining mildly active and using cold packs, as needed. If a patient experiences significant muscle weakness, incontinence of bladder or bowels, or pain that gets progressively worse or fails to improve following other treatment, surgery may be recommended. A surgeon will remove the bone spur or part of the herniated disk that is irritating the sciatic nerve.
Research indicates that chiropractic care can help up to 95 percent of patients improve. In fact, patients that are treated first by a chiropractor are less likely to undergo surgery than those who initially visit a surgeon. A scientific study published in the December 2012 issue of Spine revealed that 42.7 percent of workers suffering from back injuries who first visited a surgeon eventually had back surgery. Only 1.5 percent of patients suffering from sciatica who initially visited a chiropractor underwent surgery.
Many cases of sciatica resolve after several weeks of treatment. Doctors do not usually recommend surgery unless a patient continues to experience severe symptoms after six weeks of ongoing treatment. Patients have alternatives to surgery that should be explored with their doctors and medical specialists including chiropractors.
About the Author:
Ruth Bobbi Kevan is an author writing about how you can be healthy. Would you like more information about Pittsburgh North chiropractic? More information can be found about Pittsburgh North chiropractic at this website http://twitter.com/DrJSchofield.
Comments :
0 commentaires to “Exploration Of Treatment For Sciatica”
Enregistrer un commentaire