Why Do I Have Sciatica Pain?

How I Got Sciatica Pain Relief

Sciatica Pain

Sciatica is a pain that travels the length of the sciatic nerve, which typically only affects one side of the body. Symptoms vary, but pain, numbness, tingling or a burning sensation are common.

I had sciatica on my right side, and it was much more painful than I ever expected. As a nurse, I had met people who suffered from sciatica, but this was the first time it ever affected me. The pain was fairly severe before treatment and even driving a car was very extremely painful.

Causes of Sciatica

Sciatica typically occurs because of a ruptured intervertebral disc or spinal stenosis, which is a narrowing of the spinal canal. An injury like a pelvic fracture or a bone spur that puts pressure on the sciatic nerve may also be a cause.

When I first started having the pain I read a little bit about sciatica and hoped it would go away on its own, which it often does. I did stretches every morning and some exercises that are thought to help back pain.

I Finally God Medical Treatment

Relief was not to be the case for me. I finally saw a doctor who did some x-rays and an MRI, which showed spinal stenosis putting pressure on the nerve.

The doctor talked with me about surgery, which I did not consider as an option. Ultimately, I had three corticosteroid injections a few weeks apart and some physical therapy. The pain was finally completely relieved.

Due to insurance requirements, I saw two doctors and a nurse practitioner between my three injections, so the whole procedure probably lasted a bit more than two months. I have been told that sciatica could recur again.

I purchased a Lifeform seat cushion that contains visco-elastic memory foam, which conforms to the body. It was amazing how much relief I received from this cushion. I could sit at the computer for more time and drive my car more comfortably.

Other Treatments

Other helpful treatments include:

• Cold packs can be placed on the painful area for twenty minutes up to several times a day.
• Hot packs after two or three days of pain may be applied to the painful area. A heating pad on a low setting also works and can be alternated with cold packs.
• Stretching exercises for the lower back may help relieve the nerve root compression. Be careful not to jerk your body or twist during the stretches. Hold the stretch for at least thirty seconds.
• Some over-the-counter medications may work such as ibuprofen or naproxen.

There are several medications used to treat this condition. They include anti-inflammatories, narcotics, muscle relaxants, tricyclic antidepressants, and anti-seizure medications.

I took some mild narcotics prior to steroid injections, but they provided only temporary relief. I was also prescribed Gabapentin, which is a medication that treats neve pain.

A common treatment is to inject a corticosteroid medication around the nerve root, which suppresses inflammation around the irritated nerve. The effect may wear off after a few weeks or months.

The last option is surgery, but surgery is typically used for patients with significant weakness, bowel or bladder incontinence or when the pain worsens without any improvement despite therapy.

Final Thoughts

I am not a doctor and I am not advocating any particular therapy for this problem.

To prevent sciatica pain exercise and lift anything heavy using your leg muscles and not your back.

Since that was a new experience for me, I wanted to share my personal experience. I hope if you have suffered from this problem that you will share your personal experience in the comment section.

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