How long does sciatica last?
What is sciatica
How long does sciatica last? Sciatica is a strain that often begins from the lower spine. The pain travels through the buttocks and hips all through to the legs. This condition often occurs when the nerve roots that make up the Sciatica tissues to be compressed or pinched. In most cases, the disease affects one side of the body. If you ever suffered from this pain, you can remember how desperate and anxious you were for relief. The condition can flare up at any time with or without physical activity, disrupt your sleep, and make it hard for you to accomplish daily activities.
Sciatica pain comes in two ways; acute and chronic. So the duration of sciatica depends on its severity. For instance, an acute episode can last between one to two weeks and fixes itself in a few weeks. After the pain is alleviated, it is common to experience some numbness for some time. The sciatica episodes can appear a handful of times in a year.
Acute sciatica can eventually turn chronic which implies that the pain will persist regularly. When the condition is acute, then it turns into a lifetime condition. However, if you experience pain for more than one week or lose your bowel or bladder control, you need to seek professional help to prevent further problems.
Sciatica is a painful condition linked with damage, pressure, or inflammation of the sciatic nerve. Technically, this is a form of radiculopathy; this can affect the lumbar and cervical spine. In patients with the disease, their sciatic nerves are affected, causing pain in the hips, upper legs, and buttocks.
What causes sciatica?
There are several factors that can lead to sciatica, but mostly, it is associated with different medical conditions. These medical conditions are as below:
Degenerative disk health condition
It is a disease that is a result of natural wearing out of disks found between spine vertebrae. When the disks wear down, they become short and make the nerve passageways narrower.
Slipped(Herniated) disk
Statistically, a herniated disk is the most common cause of sciatica among different victims. On how disks are featured, they act like cushioning pads on the separation of the spine and vertebrae. Slipped disk causes pressure on the root nerves that bulges the disk.
Cauda Equina syndrome
Although a rare medical condition, cauda equina affects nerve bundles found at the spinal cord ends (cauda equina). When this condition attacks someone, they will experience a loss of bowel( bladder control), numbness around the anus, and pain down the leg.
Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is a condition that leads the aging spine to get compressed, and the most affected parts are the lower back nerves. Osteoarthritis condition results from jagged edges of bone or bone spurs that impact the aging spine negatively.
Spinal stenosis
This is a health condition that causes the abnormal or spinal canal to become narrow. As a result of narrowing the abdominal, the space available for nerves and spinal cords is narrow, and pain begins.
Piriformis syndrome
This is a health condition that results from piriformis muscles becoming spasms(tight). Piriformis muscles are small body tissues located deeply in the buttocks. When they become tight, they cause the sciatic nerve to get much pressure, leading to neuromuscular disorder.
Other causes of sciatica include tumors in the lumbar spinal canal that result from trauma injuries affecting static nerves; all these cause the sciatic nerve to experience compression.
Do risk factors determine how long sciatica will last?
While sciatica can affect anyone, some factors can increase the chances of the disease attacking you.
Previous or current injury
If you have an injury or had an injury on your spine or lower back, you are at a higher risk for sciatica.
Age
Risks of sciatica increase with the advances in age. As one age, the bone tissues and spine plates wear out. The aging process can put your body and nerves at risk of pinched or injured by shifts and changes in ligaments, bones, and disks.
Obesity or overweight
The human spine is like a vertical lift, while muscles are counterweights. The weight that a person carries in the front of their trunk is what the spine has to lift. Muscles will strain more with the increase in weight. Therefore, it can result in back issues like back strains and pains.
Weak core
Your muscles are the centers of your abdomen and back. The stronger the core, the more the support for the lower back, but if the core is weak, the lesser the support hence back pains.
Active physical job
Jobs or activities that require heavy lifting can increase the risks for back pain issues. Moreover, sitting for too long can as well increase the risk.
Improper posture in the weight room
Even physically fit individuals can be prone to this disease if they don’t follow a proper body posture while weight lifting or doing any strength training workout.
Being diabetic
Diabetes increases the chances for nerve damage hence posing a risk to sciatica.
Symptoms of sciatica
Here some symptoms of sciatica
- Ache or pain along the sciatic nerve
- Numbness or tingling
- Unilateral pain
- Mild to severe pain on the buttock, lower back, and down one leg
- Loss of movement or pain that increases with movement
- Loss of bladder and bowel control
Diagnosis of sciatica
Diagnosis for sciatica involves a physician conducting a physical exam on your reflexes and muscles. The doctor might ask you to walk on heels or toes, lift your legs while lying or rise from the position. This is to ascertain if it is sciatica because sciatica’s pain usually worsens when doing such activities.
A doctor may as well perform some imaging tests. Most patients may have bone spurs or herniated disks that will only appear on imaging tests like X-rays but have no signs. If your pain seems severe or does not alleviate within a few weeks, a doctor will do the following tests on you.
- MRI.
- CT scan
- Electromyography
Treatment for sciatica
In most cases, sciatica is treated by self-care measures, but if it does not, here are some treatments.
Medications
Types of medication prescribe]bed for sciatica pain
- NSAIDS or Non steroidal anti inflammatory medications
- Narcotics (oxycodone)
- Muscle relaxants (Robaxin 750)
Therapy
- Physical therapy
- Chiropractic
- Acupuncture
Steroid injections
- Home remedies
- Cold packs
- Hot packs
- Resting
- stretching
Conclusion
Although so many factors can result in sciatica (lower back inflammation, damage, and pressure), not every pain around the back part of your body will suggest sciatica. Most importantly, whenever pains attack your lower back abdominal area, it is important to seek medication. Some care about this condition, surgery can be done although not every stage or level will need surgery. The best cure and management is self-care treatment and giving the condition time to heal. The self-care treatment can include following the doctor’s instructions and avoiding what may harm you more.
Steps to Healthy Bones and joints
Avoid the 10 bad foods. Give it 90 Days. The Sooner You Know How To Support Healthy Bones And Joints The Better. Take the 90 Essential Nutrients plus the secret sauce for healthy bones and joints. You Can Laugh At Dangerous Medications Problems If you Follow This Plan … Today!
I was stuck taking dangerous medications until I learned to Support Healthy Bones And Joints WITHOUT Dangerous Medications Take The FREE Health Evaluation … Now!
