What is Sciatica ?

Read about  Sciatica Disease presented in simple easy to understand language

Sciatica is a radiating pain that travels from the buttock to the back of the thigh and into the back of the calf. It is a consequence of a protruding disc in the lower spine pressing on the roots of the sciatic nerve and causing irritation.

Symptoms of Sciatica may include
• A feeling of having a bad leg cramp which eases or goes away in a few weeks. 
• Numbness and weakness in the leg with difficulty moving it.
• Pain while sneezing or coughing.
• A tingling sensation or a feeling of “pins and needles” down your leg.
Some of the other causes and risk factors for sciatica are:
• People in 30-50 year age group are more prone to sciatica and it is a common form of lower back and leg pain. 
• Herniation of the spinal disc, misalignment or roughening of the vertebrae.
• Late pregnancy puts a person at risk for sciatica due to pressure of the uterus on the sciatic nerve and postural changes from carrying extra weight of the fetus.
• Bad posture, sedentary lifestyle habits and not enough exercise or stretching can put a person at risk for sciatica.
Sciatica is a common condition affecting roughly one in 50 people atleast once in their lifetime. 

Diagnosis and treatment of sciatica depends on the individual case and the causes of the condition. Thoroughly reporting your symptoms and the history of how the pain originated to the doctor helps in the diagnosis and treatment of sciatica. Medical history is also taken into account while treating sciatica as genetics can sometimes put a person more at risk for developing disc herniation. The doctor might check your reflexes, muscle strength and range of movement by asking you to perform some simple movements and exercises. Further tests like imaging may be ordered to find the exact cause of compression in the sciatic nerve. 

Some Imaging Tests include
X-ray of the spine:
This type of x-ray is helpful in ruling out other causes of disc compression as it shows spondylosis, cancers of the spine and other conditions better than regular x-rays.

MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging):
This is a noninvasive imaging procedure which uses radio waves and magnetic field to record cross-sections which can help in detecting the extent of damage to your ligaments and discs. This is a sensitive test and is very effective in assessing your sciatic condition. Read More...