Spinal Decompression Centre - Melbourne Australia

Lumar-Radiculopathy
Pain radiating along the sciatic nerve, which runs down one or both legs from the lower back. It is treatable by a medical professional and is usually self-diagnosable. Lab tests or imaging rarely required. It is usually caused when a herniated disc or bone spur in the spine presses on the nerve. Pain originates in the spine and radiates down the back of the leg. Sciatica typically affects only one side of the body but at times both sides.
Medication for pain and therapy are common treatments and Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression is preformed at our clinic.


Sciatica is not an actual diagnosis, it is a medical term used to describe symptoms of shooting pain, tingling, and numbness down the leg caused by a low back condition. Sciatica is one of the more common terms used when a person is experiencing pain down their leg. You may also hear sciatica called a "radiculopathy" which is a medical term to describe pain, numbness, tingling, and weakness in the arms or legs. Since sciatica originates in the lumbar spine, it is called a lumbar radiculopathy.


Anatomy
The sciatic nerve is the longest and largest nerve in your body. Five sets of paired nerve roots combine to create it, and it’s about the diameter of a pencil. The sciatic nerve starts in your low back, and travels through your pelvic region.
In most people, the sciatic nerve runs under the piriformis muscle, which moves your thigh side to side. From there, the sciatic nerve descends through the buttocks and the back of the thighs. Behind your knee, smaller nerves branch out from the sciatic nerve and travel down to your feet.

CAUSES
There are many potential causes for sciatica including a bulging or a herniated disc, degenerative disc diseasepiriformis syndrome, pregnancy, spinal stenosis, trauma and other conditions.  Any one of these conditions can put pressure on the sciatic nerve or related nerve roots in your low back to cause pain and other symptoms.

SYMPTOMS
The symptoms for sciatica can be wide ranging. Pain can travel from the low back, through the buttocks, downward into the leg, and sometimes into the foot. It can feel like shooting pain, burning, tingling numbness or weakness. You can feel symptoms down your entire leg, only part of your leg, or on only one side of your lower body. Pain can range from mild to severe and can cause sitting, standing, and walking to be painful and/or difficult.

source: https://www.spinemd.com/symptoms-conditions/sciatica

TREATMENT
The treatment for sciatica may differ depending on the underlying cause of the symptoms. Medications may be used to calm down inflammation and make you more comfortable. Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression is usually initiated to help relieve nerve tension and inflammation.