What is Sciatica?

What Is Sciatica?

The sciatica nerve is the largest and longest nerve in the body with a diameter of almost 2cm. It starts from the sacral plexus, a network of nerves in the pelvis region, branching out down into each of the legs.

坐骨神经进行两种基本功能,namely motor (movement) functions and sensory (feeling) functions. Sciatica happens when the nerve is compressed. Aside from sharp shooting pain, symptoms such as loss of reflexes, weakness and numbness are often present when both its motor and sensory functions are impaired.

What Causes Sciatica?

One common cause of sciatica is aherniated discor “slipped disc”. The herniated disc protrudes and places pressure on the nerve root which connects to the sciatic nerve.

The nerve can be compressed in many ways. This is because it is the longest nerve in the body. They include:

1. Piriformis Syndrome is pain caused by the piriformis muscle. This muscle may be in inflamed, or irritated. This muscle is in your buttock and lies right on top of the sciatic nerve as it exits the spine and goes down your leg. When inflamed or irritated, this muscle swells and applies pressure on the nerve giving you the sciatica like symptoms.
2. Spinal Stenosis, which is the narrowing of the spinal canal can cause sciatica-like symptoms. Disc problems as well as arthritis of the spine can cause narrowing.

Sciatica-like symptoms may also be caused other than by compression on the sciatic nerve such as:

1. Sacroiliitis is an inflammation of your sacroiliac joint, where your hip meets the spine. Inflammation caused by trauma or arthritis can give you sciatica-like symptoms.
2. Lumbar Facet Joint Syndrome is pain that comes from the joints of your back causing not only back discomfort, but also it can give you sciatica-like symptoms. Inflammation and pain can occur on the joint. This goes for any other joint of your body, such as the knee or elbow,
3. Iliolumbar Syndrome refers to inflammation or a tear of the Iliolumbar ligament. The ligament extends from the spine to the iliac bone crest, which is the back of the pelvis.

When you see a doctor or physiotherapist in Singapore, they can perform one or more movement tests to determine the exact cause of your symptoms.

What Are The Symptoms?

As a result of sciatica, one or more of the following sensations may occur:

1. Pain in the rear or leg that is worse when sitting
2. Weakness, numbness or difficulties in moving the leg or foot
3. Burning or tingling down the leg
4. A shooting or stabbing pain that makes it difficult to stand up
5. 一个常数疼痛后方的一侧

If severe pain symptoms occur along with bowel or bladder control problems, consider this as an emergency. Evaluated yourself as soon as possible by a neurologist or orthopaedic specialist.

Treatment

A combination of pressure and inflammation on the nerve root causes nerve pain. Therefore, treatment for sciatica in Singapore is centered on relieving both of these factors:

1. Manual treatments for sciatica including physiotherapy treatments such asmobilisation and manipulationto help relieve the pressure and inflammation with electrophysical agents.
2. Medical treatments for sciatica (such as oral steroids, NSAID’s, or epidural steroid injections) can help to relieve the inflammation.
3. Surgery for sciatica (such as microdiscectomy or lumbar laminectomy) may be warranted if there is severe sciatic nerve pain which has not been alleviated with appropriate manual or medical treatments.

Maintain optimum conditions when sciatica has resolved. This is to care for the spine. The fact that the spine has had a prolapse, and is not normal, does not preclude a relatively normal lifestyle. Specific exercises such as core stability exercises are important to strengthen the abdominal and spinal muscles, and maintain flexibility.