Sciatica
SOOTHE YOUR SCIATICA
Know all about the causes , symptoms and treatment of this painful back condition
You ’ ve had low back pain for some time but now its spread to your legs , with pins- andneedles running down from your buttocks . You may have a nerve condition called sciatica ( sie-AT-ih-kuh ), which is any type of pain and / or neurological symptom that is felt along the sciatic nerve , commonly caused by some type of compression of a spinal nerve in the lower back .
The sciatic nerve is the largest single nerve in the human body and runs from each side of the lower spine through the buttocks and down the back of each leg all the way to the feet . It serves a vital role in connecting the spinal cord with the leg and foot muscles .
There are a number of conditions that can cause sciatica . A visit to a doctor is usually called for if the pain persists for longer than a week , is severe or becoming progressively worse , or is associated with weakness or numbness in the leg .
What causes sciatica ? Symptoms of sciatica typically start with a problem in the lower spine , with the three most common being :
1 . A herniated disk Also called a ruptured or slipped disk , a herniated disk is the most common cause of sciatica . Between each of the vertebral bones in the spinal column is a pad of tissue called a disk . A herniated disk occurs when the gel-like interior of the disk pushes through the disk ’ s tough outer lining . This creates a bulge that can put pressure on the nerve roots .
Over time , the portion of the disk material inflaming and compressing the nerve usually shrinks and pulls away from the nerve , resulting in gradual symptom relief . This is why sciatica often goes away within a few months .
2 . Spinal stenosis By the age of 50 , most people ’ s spines show some signs of wear and tear of the disks and spinal joints . Because of this , spaces between the vertebrae narrow and bony growths or disk bulges may form , which can compress sciatic nerve roots .
3 . Spondylolisthesis ( spon-duh-loe-lis-THEE-sis ) – This is a condition
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