A Few FAQs About Sciatica

Sciatica - you may have heard of this medical condition plenty of times before and could be suffering from it too. But, are you still unsure as to what the problem is about, what are its symptoms, available treatments and the like. If yes, then here are some FAQs about sciatica that will answer all your queries.

Q What is sciatica?
Sciatica, by essence, is a symptom of a spinal disorder. It is characterized by shooting pain in the lower back that may extend to the toes. In some cases, it is accompanied by numbness and tingling sensations.

Q What are the causes of sciatica?
There are several medical conditions that could be responsible for the problem. These include herniated disc, pirformis syndrome, spinal tumor, spinal stenosis or spondylolisthesis. Apart from these medical conditions, sudden physical trauma may also lead to the problem. Physical trauma exerts pressure on the sciatic nerve, which in turn leads to pain.

Q Is surgery the only solution?
Quite contrary to popular belief, surgery is not the only solution to sciatica. There are several non-surgical treatments as well that can be used to treat the problem. Some alternative therapies that are being used to treat the problem include acupressure, acupuncture, chiropractic treatment, hydrotherapy, chiropractic treatment, reflexology and the like.

Q Are there any medications to treat sciatica?
OTC medications and prescription drugs may also be used to treat the problem. OTC medications for sciatica primarily include NSAIDs (Non Steroidal Anti Inflammatory Drugs). These medications ease the symptoms of the problem and also provide pain relief. Some of the commonly used OTC medications for sciatica are acetaminophen, ibuprofen and naproxen.

Q What are the kinds of surgeries used for sciatica?
There are primarily two types of surgeries used for sciatica i.e. Discectomy or Microdiscectomy and Laminectomy or Laminotomy. Discectomy or Microdiscectomy involves removal of herniated disc that leads to the inflammation of the sciatic nerve. Part or all of the herniated disc may be removed. On the other hand, Laminectomy or Laminotomy involves removal of the lamina-a bony plate. This is a part of the spine that protects the spinal canal and spinal cord.

Q Do I need a surgery?
Surgery is only required in cases where a patient does not respond to the non-surgical procedure. Some conditions that may call for the need of spinal surgery are:

* Presence of bowel or bladder dysfunction. This can happen in rare cases along with spinal cord compression.
* Severe cases of spinal stenosis that can be treated only with the help of surgery.
* Neurologic dysfunctions such as extreme weakness of the leg.
* Non surgical treatments do not respond.
* Worsening of symptoms.