Sciatica can be a life altering condition, and past treatment options have failed to bring relief. A new treatment option is providing relief in most cases, without the risk associated with surgery.
Sciatica is the the term used to identify pain running down the leg, it is irritation of the actual sciatic nerve as it exits the spine at various levels. The sciatic nerve is actually made up of several different nerves joining together to form one large nerve. The most likely cause of sciatica is a herniated or bulging disc in the lower back. The discs are thick fibrous structures between each vertebrae that offer cushioning and spacing needed for the nerves to exit and the flexibility needed to move.
The disc is essentially made up of two materials an outer layer consistent with cartilage and a much softer inner portion almost gelatinous in nature. With wear and tear the outer fibers can weaken allowing the softer material to gradually migrate outwards. This in turn causes an out pouching or bulging of the disc which then can compromise the exiting nerve. When this occurs symptoms of sciatica can manifest. This may include pain, numbness and even weakness in the leg.
The treatment of sciatica often includes medications, spinal injections and in severe cases surgery may be recommended. With the exception of surgery these treatments are often temporary and don't treat the actual cause. They also bring with them the risk of undesirable side effects. If the nerve is actually compressed these treatments may offer very little relief if any at all, and surgery brings with it other undesirable risks.
Lets look at steroid injection in specifically now as a common sciatica treatment. The goal with an epidural steroid injection is to reduce inflammation to the nerve root and surrounding structures. While these types of injections can bring temporary relief, they can also cause what's called a rebound effect, where the pain comes back much more intense. They can spike blood sugar in diabetics and over time can lead to other potential side effects. If the pain is severe however, the benefit of some pain relief may in fact be worth the risk, but the key is to do something proactive while the the pain is decreased.
In extreme cases of unrelenting sciatica surgery may be recommended and in a small number of cases may be an appropriate treatment. However, the overall success rate for disc related surgery is poor at only about 50% and in many cases the problem may worsen after surgery resulting in a condition called failed back surgery syndrome. This complication may arise from post surgical scarring, spinal instability, and increased stress on adjacent discs. It is very common to require another surgery in later years.
One of the newest and most effective treatments for sciatica is Spinal Decompression. This technology uses a patented computer system that is able to gently distract the spine and bypass the muscle guarding response, thus creating a negative pressure in the disc. This negative pressure draws in fluid and nutrition so the disc can heal, while also reducing herniated and bulging material to take pressure off the nerve to reduce pain. The technology has over an 80% success rate and doesn't bring with it the risk of side effect associated with other treatments. It also treats the cause of the sciatica reducing the chances of another episode down the road.
As more studies are done on this technology a consistently high success rate is achieved. The long term benefits are also very promising because as I stated previously the treatment is aimed at healing the disc and removing the pressure and irritation from the nerve, not just masking it. While spinal decompression is not right for everyone with sciatica, it certainly represents a true breakthrough and a safe long term option for this condition. - 15995
Sciatica is the the term used to identify pain running down the leg, it is irritation of the actual sciatic nerve as it exits the spine at various levels. The sciatic nerve is actually made up of several different nerves joining together to form one large nerve. The most likely cause of sciatica is a herniated or bulging disc in the lower back. The discs are thick fibrous structures between each vertebrae that offer cushioning and spacing needed for the nerves to exit and the flexibility needed to move.
The disc is essentially made up of two materials an outer layer consistent with cartilage and a much softer inner portion almost gelatinous in nature. With wear and tear the outer fibers can weaken allowing the softer material to gradually migrate outwards. This in turn causes an out pouching or bulging of the disc which then can compromise the exiting nerve. When this occurs symptoms of sciatica can manifest. This may include pain, numbness and even weakness in the leg.
The treatment of sciatica often includes medications, spinal injections and in severe cases surgery may be recommended. With the exception of surgery these treatments are often temporary and don't treat the actual cause. They also bring with them the risk of undesirable side effects. If the nerve is actually compressed these treatments may offer very little relief if any at all, and surgery brings with it other undesirable risks.
Lets look at steroid injection in specifically now as a common sciatica treatment. The goal with an epidural steroid injection is to reduce inflammation to the nerve root and surrounding structures. While these types of injections can bring temporary relief, they can also cause what's called a rebound effect, where the pain comes back much more intense. They can spike blood sugar in diabetics and over time can lead to other potential side effects. If the pain is severe however, the benefit of some pain relief may in fact be worth the risk, but the key is to do something proactive while the the pain is decreased.
In extreme cases of unrelenting sciatica surgery may be recommended and in a small number of cases may be an appropriate treatment. However, the overall success rate for disc related surgery is poor at only about 50% and in many cases the problem may worsen after surgery resulting in a condition called failed back surgery syndrome. This complication may arise from post surgical scarring, spinal instability, and increased stress on adjacent discs. It is very common to require another surgery in later years.
One of the newest and most effective treatments for sciatica is Spinal Decompression. This technology uses a patented computer system that is able to gently distract the spine and bypass the muscle guarding response, thus creating a negative pressure in the disc. This negative pressure draws in fluid and nutrition so the disc can heal, while also reducing herniated and bulging material to take pressure off the nerve to reduce pain. The technology has over an 80% success rate and doesn't bring with it the risk of side effect associated with other treatments. It also treats the cause of the sciatica reducing the chances of another episode down the road.
As more studies are done on this technology a consistently high success rate is achieved. The long term benefits are also very promising because as I stated previously the treatment is aimed at healing the disc and removing the pressure and irritation from the nerve, not just masking it. While spinal decompression is not right for everyone with sciatica, it certainly represents a true breakthrough and a safe long term option for this condition. - 15995
About the Author:
Dr. Randall Pruitt is a chiropractic neurologist.. He was one of the first doctors to use Spinal Decompression In Phoenix Arizona. He utilizes the DRX9000 in his practice to achieve results for the treatment of Sciatica In Phoenix
