Sciatica Pain Symptoms, Treatments and Prevention
Sciatica is a common problem, affecting as many as 40% of people in their lifetime. It also tends to become more frequent as you age and is most common amongst people in their forties. Sciatica attacks can vary in terms of severity and duration.
Sciatica in Singapore
It is reported that 80% of Singaporeans will experience some sort of lower back pain in their lifetime. While the exact cause of back pain may be difficult to diagnose, it may be sciatica, a common symptom of a medical condition affecting the sciatic nerve. The majority of Singaporeans spend a large amount of their time seated, be it at work or home. This coupled with a lack of exercise and poor posture can lead to weak core and back muscles that could potentially lead to the development of sciatica.
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What is Sciatica?
Sciatica is not a disease, but a group of symptoms. Sciatica is a pain along the path of the sciatic nerve, the largest nerve in the human body. The sciatic nerve branches from your lower back through your hips and buttocks and down each leg. It is most commonly caused by a herniated disk in the spine that pinches the sciatic nerve. Sciatica tends to only affect one side of the body. The pain can be due to irritation, inflammation, pinching or compression of the sciatic nerve. This pain tends to go away after a period of time. This pain may range from mild to severe.
Symptoms of Sciatica
Symptoms of sciatica may include:
- Mild to severe pain in the lower back, buttocks and leg
- Numbness or weakness in the lower back, buttocks and leg
- Pain that worsens when moving
- Feeling pins and needles in your legs, toes or feet
- Loss of bowel and bladder control
- Pain that worsens due to sneezing or coughing
Risk Factors for Sciatica
Risk factors for Sciatica include:
- Age. Ageing can lead to changes in the structure of your spine, including herniated discs and bone spurs that can pinch the sciatic nerve.
- Obesity. Obesity increases the stress placed on your spine, which can cause structural changes in the spine that can lead to sciatica.
- Occupation. Jobs that require you to constantly carry heavy loads, twist your back or stay seated for prolonged periods of time can increase your risk of developing sciatica.
- Prolonged Sitting. Prolonged periods of sitting and sedimentary lifestyles can contribute to the development of sciatica.
- Diabetes. Diabetes can lead to nerve damage, including sciatica.
- Sports. Athletes who participate in sports that often strain their back muscles may develop sciatica.
- Pregnancy. Pregnancy can put you at a higher risk of developing sciatica, especially in your third trimester. The additional weight of your baby can put extra pressure and strain on your joints and muscles.
Complications of Sciatica
The majority of those with sciatica recover from it fully after a period of time. However, sciatica can sometimes lead to complications that can be rather serious. This includes:
- Untreated Sciatica can lead to chronic pain
- Chronic muscle weakness
- Numbness in the foot making it difficult for you to walk
- Permanent nerve damage
Diagnosing Sciatica
The most common way to diagnose sciatica is through a physical examination. After reviewing your medical history and asking about your symptoms, you may be asked to perform certain activities such as walking on your toes and heels. A straight leg raise test may also be conducted. You will lie down and slowly raise your leg until you experience pain, allowing your doctor to assess which nerves are affected as well as whether there are any problems with your spinal discs.
Additional tests such as x-rays or MRI may be suggested by your doctor to get more information regarding your condition or to check for other related issues.
Preventing Sciatica
While sciatica may sometimes be unavoidable, here are some sciatica prevention tips that you can use to help prevent sciatica or at least, lower your risks of developing sciatica.
Good Posture
Maintaining a good posture while sitting, walking, lifting objects and sleeping can go a long way in preventing sciatica. Good posture helps to relieve pressure on your lower back. Feeling soreness or stiffness in your back suggests that your posture needs to be adjusted.
Quit Smoking
Nicotine can reduce the amount of blood supply to your bones. This can cause the spine and vertebral disks to be weakened, causing back and spine problems due to the increased stress placed on the spine and disks.
Maintain a Healthy Weight
Obesity is associated with inflammation and pain. The extra weight also puts extra strain on your bones. This can cause back problems such as sciatica.
Exercise Regularly
Regular exercise that keeps your body flexible and your core strong is helpful in supporting your spine. Avoid sitting for prolonged periods of time in order to keep your spine healthy.
Avoid Activities that may hurt your back
Back injuries can make you prone to sciatica and other types of back pain. It is best to avoid activities that may be dangerous for your back. If you have to participate in such activities, ensure that you perform safely and try to avoid falls.
Treatment for Sciatica
Sciatica usually goes away after a period of time or with self-management methods. However, sciatica may sometimes persist and require medication or medical treatment. In severe cases, surgery may be recommended.
Medications
Medication may be prescribed to help relieve sciatica pain. These include:
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
- Muscle relaxants
- Oral steroids to reduce inflammation
Surgery
Spinal surgery is usually not recommended unless other treatment methods are unsuccessful, and you have severe pain that has caused weakness in the muscles of your lower extremities causing you to lose bowel or bladder control. Spinal surgery aims to remove the pressure on the pinched nerves and stabilise the spine.
Physiotherapy for Sciatica
Physiotherapy can be an effective treatment method for sciatica. A trained physiotherapist will be able to design an exercise program that can help you improve muscle flexibility and strengthen your muscles, especially those in your back, abdomen and legs. In doing so, physiotherapy can help relieve pain, promote healing of the underlying cause and prevent future recurrences and flare-ups. Your physiotherapist may also recommend treatment methods such as a deep tissue massage or dry needling that can complement your physiotherapy treatment for optimal results.
Deep tissue massage
Deep tissue massage is an effective treatment method for chronic pain and musculoskeletal pain, which sciatica falls under. By targeting the deeper layers of the muscles, deep tissue massage is effective in relieving muscle and tendon pains, stiffness, and injuries.
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