Treatment options for Sciatica

1. Things you didn’t know about Sciatica Whoever has my Voodoo doll, please give it back! It is said that the greatest evil is physical pain. It is more so when you don’t know the reason for your pain. It seems as if some dark force is riding on your back and giving you immense back pain. Oftentimes, until the pain reaches a particular level people don’t go to a doctor. They would pop in painkillers or go for over the counter sprays and creams. This would give them temporary relief, but as the pain gets menacing they are totally at a loss and they rush to the hospital. This is the case with most patients suffering from Sciatica! Sciatica is frequently misunderstood by people and they think it is a normal back pain. But, can there be a “normal/abnormal” back pain? Let’s dig in deeper and find out why Sciatica is that much maligned beast! What is Sciatica? Sciatica is not a disease! It is a condition caused due to some other underlying disease. It is the pain caused due to the irritation/compression of the sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve is the widest and longest nerve in the human body that runs from the lower spine through the buttocks and into the back of the thigh to the feet. This nerve plays an important role in connecting the spinal cord with the muscles of the leg and feet. Common conditions that can cause Sciatica: • Lumbar Herniated Disc. • Degenerative Disc Disease. • Spondylolisthesis. • Isthmic spondylolisthesis. • Sacroiliac joint dysfunction. • Spinal Stenosis. • Tumors. • Infection. • Injury. Symptoms of Sciatica: Constant pain in the buttock. Pain gets worse by sitting. Pain that radiates from the buttock area to the thigh and leg. Feeling of tingling, numbness and burning in the back and leg. Difficulty walking & moving leg.

2. Sharp pain while walking or standing up. Depending upon the location of the pinched sciatic nerve symptoms might vary, but sciatic pain is irritating and can make everyday activities very difficult. Sciatic pain can be chronic and acute. Usually, people don’t consult a doctor until the pain gets severe. Why is Sciatica a Much Maligned Beast? Sciatica is a much maligned beast because of various reasons. In most cases, sciatica is misdiagnosed. Other diseases are diagnosed as sciatica, and sciatica is diagnosed as other diseases making the life miserable for patients. Only expert doctors would be able to diagnose the underlying condition for the sciatic pain. If you are suffering from the above mentioned symptoms, please feel free to consult expert Neurologists at Sunshine Hospital Bhubaneswar. Since the major symptom of sciatica is radiating pain, and other conditions can also cause radiating pain, there is every chance that other conditions are diagnosed as sciatica. This misdiagnosis can prove to be very costly as it leads to improper treatment. Some common conditions misdiagnosed as sciatica: Hip Bursitis. Femoral Nerve Entrapment. Psychosomatically triggered Sciatica. The incidence of misdiagnosis occurs due to the complex structure of the spine and even with advanced diagnostics doctors would not be able to come up with the right diagnosis as there needs to be a complete neurological correlation. Causation or the diagnosis can be done only after a thorough and objective examination by the neurologists. Also, other conditions like fibromyalgia, peripheral neuropathy, diabetes, muscular imbalances, and localized injury can mimic sciatica and often with misdiagnosis, the poor patient’s spine is blamed. Without this diagnostic procedure, sciatica is always misunderstood and so it remains a much maligned beast! Diagnostics for Sciatica: X-ray. MRI CT-Scan. Myelogram Treatment options for Sciatica pain:

3. Generally, the underlying condition that causes sciatica pain is treated. This involves pain management, physiotherapy, rest, exercise, painkillers, spinal injections, and surgery. The goal of the treatment is alleviation from pain, and eliminating the cause of the pain. In order to cure the pain, doctors usually prescribe NSAIDs and muscle relaxants. *Note: It is advised that patients should not try self medication as this can lead to serious complications. Surgery is done in extreme cases and the procedures are Microdiscectomy, Foraminotomy, and Laminectomy. Sciatica pain demands certain changes in lifestyle and with appropriate treatment; the recovery rates are pretty high.