Are you suffering from sciatica?

Sciatica is a pain that is usually felt in the back of the leg, although it can be felt at the side of the thigh and sometimes in the front. It can be acute, it can be boring and it can be intermittent, but patients will know the pain and how much it can restrict their life.

Symptoms may vary from one patient to another, but often include:

Tingle,
Sometimes leg cramps
The pain may feel as if it is triggered by the leg rather as an electric shock
Numbness or weakness in the leg and foot may also be associated with pain.
Lumbar pain may well be associated.
Often, these symptoms have a very real impact on the life and lifestyle of the patient and can prevent him from leading a normal life, as it can make everyday activities extremely painful and uncomfortable, such as:

Driving
Working at a desk
Sit still for long periods, such as trips to the movies and the theater.
Even eating out can be torture
These are all signs that all is not well inside your body and, like sciatica, are symptoms of a nerve compression problem in the upper back.

For such a common problem, it is surprising how few patients really understand where their pain comes from and what their options are to address the problem: there are several options available to help patients overcome their pain and a simple and non-invasive treatment that can address the underlying problems to avoid a lifetime of pain and long-term problems.

So what is sciatica?

The causes of sciatica can be many and varied. There is usually a degree of commitment of the disc. You may have heard people say that they have had a "slipped disc", this term is commonly used, but in fact it has little medical significance. For some people, it can cause terror in their heart, so if you are one of them, the good news is that some disc problems can heal themselves, as long as you take care of yourself a little.

What is a "disk" and what is its relevance to your problem?

Its spine is made up of a series of blocks, individually called vertebrae. They help along with the muscles, ligaments and support tendons to keep us upright and support the weight of our bodies. The lower vertebrae are large because they are the main load structures. Between each vertebra there is a "disk" that acts as a shock absorber. It is like a Memory Foam Seat Cushion with a strong external fibrous covering and a softer internal environment called the nucleus. The inner soft center is gelatinous and has a high water content.

The discs separate the vertebrae so that they do not rub each other or have any direct contact. If they touched you, you would be in big trouble ...

It is in the lower vertebrae where problems occur, such as sciatica. If too much stress is exerted on the outer fibrous layer of the disc, this may weaken and the disc may begin to bulge. This in turn can put pressure on the nearby sciatic nerve.