Inflammation of the sciatic nerve, which bears the name of the medicine sciatica periodically occurs in a sufficiently large number of people. Many people mistakenly believe that this phenomenon is in itself a disease. However, this is not true - most of sciatica is a result of a variety of other diseases. In itself, this condition does not present any particular risk, but brings a sick person plenty of unpleasant moments and pain.
If you remember the little school anatomy, you can easily imagine the sciatic nerve - it begins in the lumbar region, and stretches across the rear surface of the coccyx and both legs. It sciatic rhythm responsible for the normal operation of the legs and feet of the sensitivity of the entire surface.
Of course, sciatica, as well as any other disease, there is no reason - it requires specific reasons. Let's try to understand what can cause this problem:
- Displacement - full or partial - of the spinal disc.
- The presence of the sick person piriformis syndrome.
- Any injury of any - or bodies, or even the muscles located in the pelvic area.
- The presence of tumor in a human patient, and any origin.
As you can see, this is often an inflammation of the nerve may indicate the presence of certain diseases, sometimes quite serious. Of course, panic and afraid, seeing at the symptoms of inflammation, it is not necessary - most often the cause is a trivial little thing, but to ignore the doctor's visit is still not worth it. A similar visit to the doctor will take much less time than a subsequent treatment - either running a serious illness that can knock you out of the rut for a very long time.
Symptoms of sciatica
Do not worry that this pathology will remain unnoticed - if a person has inflamed sciatic nerve, he will certainly notice. Too obvious and very unpleasant symptoms. Although correct to say - a symptom.
For a man who has no medical training, the only visible symptom will be pain. And this pain is caused by inflammation of the sciatic nerve, so diverse that uniquely characterize it is unlikely to succeed. It depends on several different factors, it is overall health of the sick person, and the degree of inflammation of the sciatic nerve, and the individual pain threshold, and more.
Some patients with sciatica pain people characterize as weak, barely feel tingling or pulling someone complains that the pain is dull in nature, while others describe a very sharp pain, which almost completely deprives the sick person the ability to move. So guess what it will be pain - it is impossible. But the fact that it will still be - can not be questioned.
However, the pain caused by inflammation of the sciatic nerve, has some distinctive features, which allow the doctor to suspect it is this malaise. In almost all cases, pain localized in one half of the body. For example, many patients experience a sharp cutting pain in a hip or a leg, while at the same time in the other leg or thigh muscles numbness felt strong.
Furthermore, in some cases the pain can be felt even in one of the shanks, while the second will be felt numbness. As a rule, numbness periodically replaced by a strong tingling. In addition, a sick person feels strong enough weakness in both legs, and sometimes in the hand on the affected side. Although, fortunately, this happens very easily.
Pain in the inflammatory process affecting the sciatic nerve, almost never occur immediately and intensely. At first, the pain is very weak character, but its intensity increases gradually. As shown by numerous observations, particularly strong pain are just at night.
Pain may also increase certain physical action - when a person sits or, on the contrary, gets up, laughs, sneezes or coughs. In severe cases, the sick person and did almost could not move without pain medication. Therefore, most doctors recommend that a sick person to comply with strict bed rest.
Diagnosis of the disease
In order to timely start when needed sciatica treatment, it is necessary to diagnose. Of course, the most experienced doctor determines it is the inflammation at a glance. However, as mentioned above, there is no inflammation of the nerve itself, but is a consequence of a disease. And here it is necessary to diagnose the disease and as quickly as possible, until it started to progress more quickly, and did not result in other problems.
Diagnosis is most diverse - depending on the skills and preferences of the physician, the patient's general condition of man, his complaints. But in any case, the doctor must conduct inspection of the patient. As a rule, almost all cases of sciatica doctor at survey reveals the following:
- Violation of any normal mobility of the foot or the knee, or both of them. Especially clearly this difficulty can be seen, if you ask a sick person to pull the foot forward or twirl it.
- Or simply weakened neurological reflexes, or sometimes even abnormal.
- Severe pain when a sick man tries to lift a leg up.
In addition, the doctor will certainly prescribe a sick person some research that will help to deliver a more accurate diagnosis:
- Laboratory investigation of blood, including biochemical.
- X-rays of the pelvis.
If necessary, if the previous studies have not helped to establish the diagnosis, the doctor may decide on the need for magnetic - resonance therapy.
Treatment of sciatica
As you can guess, to get rid of sciatica, you must first start the treatment of the underlying disease - which is the root cause of disease. Although, of course, there is the so-called symptomatic treatment, which is intended to relieve symptoms of the inflammatory process, damaging the nerve.
If a person is inflamed sciatic nerve, treatment is primarily directed at reducing the severity of the pain. There are several basic ways - both physical and pharmacological.
In the first few days, doctors recommend doing cool compresses. You can use a soft cloth soaked in cold water. And even better - wrap in the same soft tissue ice cubes. These packs necessary to impose on those places where the pain is felt most strongly. The duration of a compress should not exceed ten minutes.
If the pain is plagued by a sick person too much, it may take painkillers, which can be purchased over the counter without a prescription. For example, ibuprofen. However effective these measures will be only if the sick person will comply with bed rest, at least the first two days.
To return to normal physical activity after the disease should gradually. At least de weeks to avoid not only the heavy lifting, but in general any - any excessive activity. Four weeks - you can return to sports, but gently. Only six weeks exercise can be restored in full.
In some cases, if the pain is too strong and no "soft" methods can not remove it, the doctor can write a prescription for a potent painkillers. In addition, in cases where inflammation is too strong, the doctor may prescribe the use of anti-inflammatory drugs.
Traditional medicine also offers some simple but very effective recipe. However, before applying them to make sure that the sick person is not allergic reactions to the components.
- Honey compresses. Melt three tablespoons of honey, mix them with a pre-powdered ordinary pill dipyrone. The resulting mixture should be a thin layer applied to the skin in the area that hurts. On top of the gauze and leave for two hours.
- A decoction of chamomile pharmacy. And once again comes to the rescue pharmacy daisy. Prepare the broth as follows - vsypte in an enamel bowl five tablespoons of chamomile pharmacy, pour a liter of water and boil for 10 minutes. The broth is cool, strain and take three days on the day of a glass.
Be careful - danger!
In any case, the ill person should seek medical care. However, there are some situations in which a sick person should seek medical advice as soon as possible. This must be done if a person were the following situations:
- Higher temperatures higher than 38 degrees. Before you shoot down the temperature, be sure to consult your doctor.
- The occurrence of edema or redness of the skin on the back of a sick person.
- Pain arising in the upper leg, gradually moving lower.
- A strong sense of numbness in the pelvic area, thighs or legs. In such cases, a person simply "give way" feet, to put it simply.
- The appearance of a burning sensation during urination, or blood in urine.
- In the supine position the pain is largely enhanced, and makes waking up at night. Increased pain in the second and third day.
In all the above cases, the sick person in any case not allowed to try to get rid of the pain, which causes inflammation of the sciatic nerve alone. Complications can be serious, so do not risk it.