Pain and tingling that radiates from your lower back to your legs are common symptoms of sciatica. However, early detection and treatment can eliminate the pain and discomfort caused due to sciatica.

Sciatica refers to a condition that affects the sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve is a large nerve that runs from the lower back to your hips, buttocks, and legs, all the way down to the feet. If the sciatic nerve is damaged or compressed, a stabbing, shooting or burning pain can be felt, along with sensation, such as tingling, numbness, and weakness. These can be felt anywhere in the lower back and hip region to the back of the legs and down to the feet.

Sciatica usually affects only one side of the body. Any movement can worsen the pain.

Causes of Sciatica

Sciatica is usually caused due to irritation of the root of the lower spine. Other causes include:

• Lumbar spinal stenosis
• Spondylolisthesis
• Degenerative disc disease
• Muscle spasm

Sciatica issues may be triggered by several problems that involve the spine affect the nerves running along the back.

Risk factors for Sciatica include –

• Degenerative disc disease is caused due to the wear-and-tear of the spine over the years. Such wear-and-tear can irritate or impinge your sciatic nerve.
• Obesity and a sedentary lifestyle can make the bones in the back become stiff. The extra weight may also cause extra pressure on your sciatic nerve.
• Untreated diabetes can cause diabetic neuropathy that damages the nerves in your extremities.
• Desk jobs and truck-driving can negative lyimpact the spine due to prolonged sitting.
• Jobs that demand heavy lifting or twisting lead to sciatica.

Symptoms of Sciatica

The treatment depends on the cause of the nerve damage. Painful sciatica symptoms may result from –

• Herniated disc– If the outer layer of an intervertebral disc cracks or ruptures, the contents spill out and press against your sciatic nerve.
• Spinal stenosis– This refers to a narrowing of the spinal canal, compressing the nerve roots and spinal cord.
• Spondylolisthesis– If a vertebra slips and becomes misaligned, it may narrow down the exit of the sciatic nerve, and irritate it.
• Piriformis syndrome–The piriformis muscle in the lower spine, hips, and buttocks. may spasms, compressing the sciatic nerve.

Treatments for Sciatica

Sciatica treatment starts with a complete physical by your pain doctor, along with reviewing tests like an X-ray, MRI, or CT scan. Once your pain doctor diagnoses the underlying condition creating sciatica pain, they ill design a customized treatment plan.

There are a number of minimally invasive,interventional treatments to relieve sciatica pain.

• Nerve Block Injections to prevent the nerve from transmitting pain signals to the brain
• Epidural Steroid Injections in the space around the spinal cord in the lower back to reduce inflammation and relieve pain
• Spine Facet Injections to reduce inflammation and pain caused due degeneration of facet joints in the spine
• Trigger Point Injections to relieve muscle spasms

If you are looking for pain management doctors, call the leading Chicago pain management center in Illinois, Illinois Pain Institute at 800-340-PAIN Today!