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What is sciatica? How to relieve it?

What is sciatica? How to relieve it?

Sciatica is characterized by pain that is felt in the lower back and which extends throughout the leg. The intensity of the pain depends on the severity of the inflammation around the nerve root. It can affect the elderly as well as young people and its origins can be very varied.

The causes of the seizure can be attributed to very common phenomena like poor posture, wearing high-heeled shoes, lifting a heavy object, or simply sitting still for a long time. But it is mainly triggered by the presence of a herniated disc.

Until today, it is not yet possible to eradicate the pain definitively but there are various means of reducing the pain ranging from massage sessions to surgery and taking anti-inflammatory medication. .

The origins of sciatica

The symptoms of sciatica are often defined by a sharp pain that is felt from the buttocks through the back of the legs to go to the foot. It usually affects only one part of the body. You should know that the sciatic nerves mainly located on both legs from the lower back extend to the foot and are the longest in our nervous system. The compression of the roots of the sciatic nerves then causes the attack of sciatica.

The causes of the appearance of sciatica are beautiful and very numerous; some can be serious and others mild. But the risk is increased with aging or if you have a case of diabetes. The manifestation of pain varies from person to person, it can be sharp or give feelings of numbness with the drop in tone of the leg, it can be constant or occasional. Sciatica will be diagnosed by the doctor by detecting painful areas in the spine. In the most serious cases, it will be necessary to perform an X-ray or an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) to detect the presence of a herniated disc.

Treatment and prevention to relieve sciatica

What is sciatica? How to relieve it?

If the pain caused by sciatica is not very important, it will be necessary to avoid carrying heavy loads, not to tire your back too much, not to practice sport:in short, it will be a question of resting. However, you can do some moderate intensification exercises and see a physical therapist to help relieve the pain.

Taking medication such as anti-inflammatories may also be prescribed by your doctor if he deems it necessary. If all attempts at relief prove to be ineffective and the pain then becomes unbearable, surgery should be considered.

To reduce the pain caused by sciatica, the recommendations for relieving back pain can also work. This consists of sleeping on a firm mattress by lying on your back or on your side with your legs bent or making sure to keep your feet flat on the ground and your back straight against the backrest when you are seated. In any case, it will sometimes be enough to have a good presence to relieve the pain.