by Julie Spaur

Created on: April 11, 2009

If you have ever had sciatica, you know how painful and debilitating it can be. If you have not had it, imagine having a pulled muscle in the back of your leg and/or buttocks and then multiply that pain times 12. That is one of the the lovely symptoms of sciatica.

Imagine, also, a time when you may have sat too long in one position, or have had your leg curled up under you and it has fallen asleep either in your foot or another part of your leg. You switch positions and the blood starts rushing to the area it had been cut off of, causing great relief. Now imagine you switch positions and instead of relief, you still feel the same numbness and it doesn't go away. There is another symptom of the lovely sciatica.

What, you ask, IS sciatica.
Sciatica is the term given to the condition a person has when there is pain or numbness radiating from the sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve is the longest nerve in the human body, running from the lower back, through the buttocks and branches out to run all the way down both legs.

When this nerve becomes irritated and flares up, the condition is known as sciatica. It can be caused by a number of things, such as herniated disc in the lower back, bone spurs caused by arthritis, or narrowing of the spinal canal, which is known as spinal stenosis.

Sciatica can also be caused if a person gets an injury and the muscles around it become inflamed.
In some cases, pregnant women can suffer from sciatica when the baby rests on the sciatic nerve. In this case, there is no treatment, the woman must live with it until the baby decides to move!

Treatment methods for sciatica vary. If the sciatica is caused by a problem in the vertebra, the treatment is more complicated and can include taking anti-inflammatory medications, physical therapy or chiropractic treatment. In some cases, an injection of steroids into the problem disc may be a last resort if nothing else works.

If the sciatica is caused by muscular inflammation, it may be harder to pinpoint the problem, but once it is determined to be muscular, the treatment can begin. One of the most natural, homeopathic treatment for this condition is massage. Soft tissue massage therapy works in a few different ways to alleviate the symptoms of sciatica.

Massage therapy removes waste materials and toxins from the muscles. By breaking up the muscles and loosening them, the flow of oxygen to the muscle is increased, helping it to heal faster. Massage also lengthens and relaxes muscle groups allowing them to rest. Range of motion and flexibility are restored and the inflammation eventually ends and with it, the sciatica.

If you think you may have sciatica, it is important to consult your physician so the diagnosis and cause can be determined as soon as possible. Prolonged sciatica can eventually cause nerve damage which may result in loss of feeling or movement of the affected leg, and in worse cases, may cause loss of bowel or bladder function.

Once sciatica has been diagnosed and is being treated and symptoms are diminishing, exercise and movement should begin as soon as possible so the muscles stay strong. Exercise and taking care of your body are two preventative activities so the sciatica never comes back again.

Learn more about this author, Julie Spaur.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.