Sciatica is a medical condition with which we all are acquainted in one way or the other. It is characterized by pain radiating through the entire length of the posterior aspect of the thigh and crossing the knee to further below areas. The radiation of its pain actually represents the course of the sciatic nerve, after which this condition has been named.
Sciatica occurs when the sciatic nerve is subjected to excessive pressure. Mostly, when surgical intervention is not made, the condition takes on a more chronic course. Having said that, it must also be clarified that every case is not surgically treatable; surgery is a highly invasive procedure and done only as a last resort. If the symptoms can be controlled without it, your doctor will most likely not recommend it.
There are many causes of pressure, of which slipped discs have been most popular. Pregnancy is another important cause. In old age, a history of trauma is typical. Furthermore, hematomas, infections or any space occupying lesions can also compress the nerve, leading to its irritation. Lastly, an underlying neuropathy may be the cause as well, although the chances of this are quite slim.
Sciatica treatment ranges from non-pharmacological procedures to highly invasive ones. Among the non-pharmacological approaches are the muscle relaxation technique that has more of a psychological impact rather than a physical one. Bed rest is highly recommended. Pharmacological lines of sciatica treatment involve the use of analgesics and anti-inflammatory drugs, usually cortisone in both oral and injectable forms. Mostly, people are content with this. However, if the underlying cause has been discovered and demands surgery, the doctors move to the third and the final line of sciatica treatment. It is usually laminectomy that is done; this is a procedure in which the laminas of the vertebrae are cut to create more space for the nerve and to relieve it from the pressure over it. Once the pressure is relieved, the nerve no longer experiences irritation, leading to a cure for sciatica.
As mentioned earlier, a large proportion of cases become chronic. Sciatica treatment, therefore, continues for life. Even if surgery has been done, that person is advised to restrict mobility of his spine and to take precautions. Such a surgery, for instance, will be the devastation of the career of a gymnast who relies on the flexibility of his spine. Sciatica treatment, however, is a benign and easy treatment, and this condition has never known to threaten life, although it may be a symptom of some underlying lethal neuropathology, rare though it might be.