Symptoms of sciatic nerve inflammation: the nature of the pain and its localization
Sciatic nerve diseases are diagnosed quite often. They arise both when a damaging factor (infection, cooling) affects the nerve directly, and when the nerve is involved in the inflammatory process in case of pathologies of surrounding organs and tissues.
The sciatic nerve is the longest in the human nervous system. It starts at the sacrum area and runs through the buttock down the leg to the foot. Therefore, if the sciatic nerve is entrapped, the pain spreads from the lumbar area along the back of the thigh, then to the shin, heel and toes. Entrapment of the sciatic nerve means its compression that causes nerve tissue irritation. Most often, the compression occurs in the area of the piriform muscle or spinal discs.
Treatment of the sciatic nerve entrapment
The spinal diseases during which nerve roots are compressed with prolapsed disks and bone spurs emerging in case of osteochondrosis may cause the entrapment. Compression often is the result of severe curvatures of the spine and the lumbar vertebrae dislocation.
Sciatica (pain along the sciatic nerve) can be caused by a soft tissue trauma in the area of the nerve passage, a tumor of the spine or surrounding soft tissues, inflammatory processes, general or local hypothermia, physical activities. Women sometimes have sciatica late in pregnancy.
Symptoms of sciatica
This pain, which first concentrates in the coccyx, and then spreads to the back of the leg, numbness, tingling, weakness in the leg. During the examination, the doctor finds characteristic pain points, loss of sensitivity in some areas, vegetative-trophic disorders (impaired blood supply to soft tissues, sweating, and so on).
- use of medications;
- exercise therapy;
- massage;
- physiotherapeutic procedures.
- topical and systemic NSAIDS. Injections for sciatic nerve neuralgia with severe pain syndrome are preferable to oral medications. Therefore, the treatment usually begins with intramuscular administration of medications prescribed by a doctor;
- warming creams/gels;
- muscle relaxants, which are the medications that reduce muscle tension;
- B vitamins;
- in complicated cases, hormonal agents.
Blockade of the sciatic nerve is performed when the standard treatment regimen is ineffective. Drugs (solutions of novocaine, lidocaine, diclofenac and others) the doctor injects directly into the affected area.
How to treat sciatica
Physiotherapy in case of sciatica helps to reduce the inflammatory process, to relieve pain and muscle spasm.
- magnet therapy;
- UHF-therapy;
- electrophoresis and phonophoresis with the use of medications;
- paraffin applications.
How to treat sciatica, when the acute period is behind? During the recovery period, manual therapy sessions are recommended. Massage of the sciatic nerve area in the acute period is recommended only for the healthy side, and as the patient’s condition improves, the amount and intensity of procedures should be increased gradually. Manual therapy and massage are aimed at preventing sciatica recurrence.
Exercises in case of sciatic nerve entrapment help restore normal functioning of the lower limb. The patient also learns the correct gait. The exercise should be done on a regular basis for prevention purposes. Learn more about the exercise therapy for sciatica prevention on our website.
Prevention of sciatica
Prevention of sciatic nerve inflammation includes timely treatment on the initial stages of the disease. All the measures after a past sciatica are aimed at the prevention of recurrences. Patients are advised to avoid hypothermia: not to sit on a cold surface, not to swim in cold water, and wear warm underwear in winter. It is advisable to gradually condition the body, regularly perform an exercise therapy complex.
The patients prone to frequent respiratory diseases should not stay out of bed during these periods. You should also avoid strenuous physical activities whenever possible. In case of sciatica based on congenital changes in the spine or its acquired curvature, it is recommended to wear a retentive support.
Doctors also advise maintaining a healthy weight, since obesity is a common cause of sciatic nerve entrapment. You should monitor your posture, lift heavy objects correctly, that is, keeping your back straight and squatting to the load, and not bending over to it. It is advisable to sleep on firm mattresses.
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