Sciatica is a nerve that is the long nerve which is traveling from the lower hip and extending the leg. The pain may occur when there is any pressure or damage which is caused due to the sciatic nerve. Sciatica may feel like a mild tingling, weakness aching or burning.
Symptoms of sciatica pain
- Numbness
- Pain
- Discomfort
- Tingling sensation
It may get worse during the night, after standing or sitting for long periods of time. After bending backward or sneezing, coughing and laughing. After walking for an extended period of time.
Types of Sciatica
There are mainly two types of sciatica pain that are long term and short term. Let us discuss them detail:
- Acute sciatica
This is a short term pain. There is no particular specialized treatment, the symptoms associated with this type can be reduced with the use of certain painkillers, by applying hot or cold packs and also by following few stretches which are related to sciatica pain. - Chronic sciatica
This is a long term pain and required physical therapy. Which may include applied heat, exercise and other related techniques in rare cases surgery may be required.
Risk factors of sciatica pain
The risk factors are the one which increases the likelihood of developing a disease or condition. The risk factors of sciatica are as follows.
- Age
Due to the deterioration of discs, people in their 30s and 40s have a higher risk of developing sciatica. The indigence of sciatica is related to age. Rarely seen before the age of 20, incidence peaks in the fifth decades and declines thereafter. - Profession
Physical activity associated with occupation has also been shown to influence of sciatica, carpenters and machine operators were shown to be more likely to develop sciatica than sedentary office workers.
- Sedentary lifestyle
Sitting for a long period of time in front of lap top or computers can lead to lower back pain and they have more risk of developing sciatica pain. So people who have asedentary lifestyle are more at risk than the people who are physically active.
How to treat sciatica
- Nerve root blocks
- Spinal cord stimulation
- Facet injection and radiofrequency ablation
- By giving epidurals
Stretches for sciatica pain
- Knee to chest stretch
- Standing hamstring stretch
- Sitting spinal stretch
- Lying deep glute stretch
- Supine stretch
- Standing stretch
- Outer hip stretch
- Hip extension exercise
- Seated stretch
- Buttocks stretch
Things you should know about sciatica
- Piriformis syndrome and other injuries can mimic sciatica. It does not always stem from your lower back.
- Sitting all a day shortens your hip flexors
- Chronically shortened muscles can actually turn off other muscles, so tight hip flexors create weak gluten.
- You may be developing sciatica for months to years before you feel the classic symptoms.
In most cases, once the true cause is determined, sciatica can be treated with non-surgical methods.
