Sciatica
Back pain is one of the most common problems in the UK. It is the most prevalent cause of disability in people under age 45, and of the millions is spent annually on this problem. One form of low back pain is sciatica. |
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Symptoms |
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Sciatica is pain resulting from irritation of the sciatic nerve. Sciatica pain is typically felt from the low back on one side, going through the cheek of your bottom, to the outer side of your thigh, then down to the outside of knee and lower leg. |
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Causes |
| While sciatica is most commonly a result of a disc directly pressing on the nerve, any cause of irritation or inflammation of this nerve can reproduce the symptoms of sciatica. | |
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Treatment |
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Pain-relieving medication is usually necessary for a prolapsed disc. The acute pain normally lasts for a few days and you should rest during this period. In most cases of a prolapsed disc the symptoms can be relieved if the patient gets into a position of spinal extension. Lying on their front and gently propping the shoulders up on the elbows can achieve this. This puts the spine in the opposite position to that in which the injury occurred. This encourages the prolapsed nucleus gel to recede into the disc. The outer layer of the disc will heal with scar tissue over a period of months, but the disc is vulnerable to re-injury and there will always be a weakness. For this reason, and to reduce the chances of a recurrence, you should follow the rehabilitation program set by a health professional. This will involve regaining the range of movement in the lumbar spine and strengthening the muscles that support the back. Which Health Professional is best for you? Herein lies a problem area. Some people would say they always go and see their Osteopath, some a Chiropractor and some a Physiotherapist. Doctors tend to recommend the service that is best locally. All these Professionals will treat sciatica. |
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Prevention |
| Once a prolapsed disc has been experienced there will always be a weakness. In order to avoid a recurrence of the problem it is important to take better care of the back in future by maintaining good posture. | |
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Recommended web sites |
SciaticaYou can read more about sciatica here, at MedInfo.Spine HealthA comprehensive resource for understanding, preventing, and seeking appropriate treatment for back and neck pain and related conditions |
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