When you leg is numb, having tingling, feels weak, or has pain there is chance sciatica is to blame. There is a nerve in the back that can have too much pressure on it or it could be injured. This condition is actually caused by something else in the back that has been injured or inflamed.
When the sciatica nerve is hurt the lower body will pay the price. The nerve is actually located in your lower spine. It runs all way down each leg in the back and is responsible for controlling muscles in your knees, lower legs, and your back. The nerve also is also responsible for providing sensation to your back part of the thigh, some of your lower leg, along with the sole of your feet.
Some of the more common reasons for the nerve to flare are a slipped disk in the back, a syndrome called piriformis (the buttocks have a narrow muscle that is experiencing a pain disorder. It could be tumors in the body or if the pelvic has been injured or fractured.
Usually when the pain strikes it will just be on one side of the body. There could be numbness in some parts of the body while sharp pains will usually hit the hip or parts of the leg. Pain or numbness can also go to the calf or you sole on the feet. Even though sciatica will start slow it could be worse after sitting, standing, during the night, while laughing, coughing, or even sneezing. It could be extremely bad when walking of if you bend backwards.
In order for the nerve to properly be treated you will have to find out what caused it to flare to begin with. There are some tests the doctor will run in order to narrow down the problem. They could do blood work, have some X-rays done, or even send you to the MRI machine.
While waiting for the results there are some things that can be done in order to reduce the inflammation. Rotate between hot and cold on the back to help with the swelling. An over the counter pain reliever such as Tylenol or ibuprofen can help with reducing the inflammation around the nerve.
One of the worst things that can be done with sciatica is crawling in the bed for days. Instead try reducing your activities for a few days then slowly start increasing your activities daily.
Tags: sciatica