After work or in your free time, you may decide to try a new exercise routine you have heard of. Since you are not used to it, you do it wrongly and start experiencing severe pain in your lower back. After searching, you find that you are suffering from sciatica. For some time now, healthcare practitioners have reported that sciatica Houston has resulted from injuries and falls leading to a lot of pain. Most people have wanted to know much about the problem, and the following are the most searched topics about sciatica.
What Is Sciatica?
It refers to nerve pain resulting from injury and sciatic nerve irritation. The pain originates in your buttock or gluteal region.
What Is the Feeling of Sciatica Pain?
In several instances, individuals claim that sciatica pain occurs differently based on its origin. You may hear some asserting that the pain is sharp and shooting, while others describe the pain as electric or stabbing. You should be aware that the pain may appear and disappear.
Does Sciatica Take Time to Develop, or Does It Happen Unexpectedly?
Both questions are answered because, as we mentioned, it all depends on the origin. For example, a disk herniation may lead to sudden pain, while Arthritis in the spine may grow slowly over time.
Which Risk Factors are Associated With Sciatica?
- Being overweight: the spine is similar to a vertical crane. The weight that you carry in front of your body contains all that the spine has to lift. However, the more weight you have, it makes it impossible for the crane to lift, leading to back strain and pain.
- Having an existing or previous injury: an injury puts you at a greater risk for sciatica.
- Weak core: in most cases, the less strong your core is, the less support you have on your lower back.
Other risks include:
- Diabetes
- Smoking
- Osteoarthritis
- Inappropriate posture in the weight room
What Are Signs and Symptoms of Sciatica?
- Worsening pain with movement
- Mild to vigorous pain in your lower back
- Numbness in the buttock, leg, or lower back
- Loss of bladder and bowel control
What Causes Sciatica?
Sciatica may be caused by numerous medical conditions such as:
- A slipped disk causes massive pressure on the root of the nerve
- Osteoarthritis
- Trauma injury
- Degenerative disc disease occurs from natural wear and tear of disks between vertebrae of the spine.
- Cauda equina syndrome
How Is Sciatica Treated and Managed?
Some of the self-care treatments include:
- Use ice and/or hot packs: you can use ice packs to minimize pain and swell in the affected area for some days. After some time, use hot packs each for about 20 minutes.
- Avoid over-the-counter medicines: you should take medicines to minimize pain, swelling, and inflammation. Over-the-counter medications are all over, and you should take care because they may bring any effects.
- Undertake gentle stretches: proper stretches will significantly reduce this lower back pain, although you need to be taken through by an experienced instructor.
You all need time and self-care medication to treat and prevent sciatica. Have these remedies worked for you? If not, plan a visit to the Body Balance Chiropractic & Wellness Center in Houston, TX, for exceptional and compassionate treatment that will make you leave their gate smiling.