Celina Back Pain
It certainly is not uncommon for people in the Celina area to experience a problem with lower back pain. At times, that pain may be associated with soft tissue damage, such as a muscle strain and bed rest may be required. At other times, however, much more severe issues are involved and it could involve the nerves, resulting in severe pain that is long-lasting along with other, more troubling symptoms.
One of the problems that many people face when they have back pain is an issue known as sciatica. This is a general term that is used to describe symptoms that are associated with the sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve runs through the lower back and down the back of each of your legs. When the sciatic nerve is pinched or if it becomes irritated, it could result in symptoms that are quite difficult to manage.
For some people, sciatica is associated with lower back pain that is generalized to the area where the nerve is being affected. Since the nerve is large and also runs down the back of each leg, the symptoms may also involve the legs as well. This could include a tingling or numbness that extends down the legs but some people also experience it as leg pain or weakness. In more severe cases, sciatica can even lead to a loss of bowel or bladder control.
Many people in the Celina area or throughout the United States refer to sciatica rather loosely. The fact of the matter is, however, sciatica is not a diagnosis, it is a description that involves the symptoms you may be experiencing. Sciatica can be caused by any number of different underlying issues, including spinal stenosis, herniated disc, spondylolisthesis or a herniated disc.
Some of the specific symptoms that you may be experiencing when you have this type of back pain include the following:
- The pain gets worse when you sit down
- The pain is constantly on one side of the leg and rarely in both legs
- Numbness, weakness or difficulty moving the foot or leg
- A sharp pain that makes it difficult to walk or stand up
- A pain that radiates down the leg and perhaps even as far as the foot.
Celina Back Pain - Sciatica Pain
One of the reasons why sciatica is such a large problem is because of the size of the sciatic nerve. It is the largest nerve in the human body but it is not just a single organism. There are many nerve roots that branch out from the spine in the area of the lower back and they come together to form what is known as the sciatic nerve. When the sciatic nerve is compressed or irritated near the origin point, that is when the symptoms of sciatica typically appear.
When you suffer from sciatica, it is important to get proper medical treatment. Rather than just saying you have a problem and trying to treat it on your own, the medical professionals at The Neuro & Spine Wellness Center can help you to come up with a solution that will solve the problem and allow you to get back to your active lifestyle again. At times, a flareup of chronic sciatica can be debilitating and crippling. Proper treatments, however, have helped many people in the Celina area to get back on their feet again.
There are a number of nonsurgical options for sciatica that can provide pain relief and a reduction in neurological symptoms. Those nonsurgical treatment options include the following:
Medication - prescription or over-the-counter pain medications may be effective in helping to reduce sciatica pain. Oral steroids or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can help to relieve the inflammation that may be leading to sciatic pain.
Heat and ice - It may be possible to reduce the pain you are experiencing, especially when it is in its initial phase, with the use of heat and ice packs. Typically, heat will be applied for up to 20 minutes and then it may be alternated with ice.
Steroid injections - epidural injections may help to reduce inflammation and can provide both immediate and long-term relief from pain. In many cases, you will benefit from the pain relief directly but it can also help you to get started in a therapy program.
When you suffer from sciatica in the Celina area, you don't need to continue to suffer needlessly. The medical professionals at The Neuro & Spine Wellness Center can provide an accurate diagnosis and determine if it is actually sciatica you are experiencing. At that point, treatment options can be discussed with you so the right one is chosen for your needs.