Everything You Need to Know About Sciatica
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Peg Smith
Jul 28, 2013, 3:45:29 PM7/28/13
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Please consider this free-reprint article written by:
Peg Smith
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Article Title: Everything You Need to Know About Sciatica
Author: Peg Smith
Word Count: 547
Article URL: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=1853211&ca=Medicines+and+Remedies
Format: 64cpl
Contact The Author: http://www.isnare.com/eta.php?aid=1853211
Easy Publish Tool: http://www.isnare.com/html.php?aid=1853211
*********************** ARTICLE START ***********************
Sciatica is a set of symptoms that are experienced when the sciatic nerve (the body�s largest and longest nerve) becomes compressed by a misaligned, inflamed, or otherwise damaged portion of the spine. This generally occurs because of nothing more nefarious than the natural aging process. Over time, the spine can begin to break down because of the strain that it constantly endures. The breakdown of certain components of the spine can lead to sciatica, which causes shooting pain, numbness, tingling, and muscle weakness along one side of the lower body.
Causes of Sciatica
A variety of degenerative spine conditions can cause compression of the sciatic nerve, including:
- Herniated and bulging discs � These conditions affect the intervertebral discs, which are small shock absorbers that provide cushioning to the vertebrae (the bone structures that house and protect the spinal cord). A disc is comprised of two elements: the annulus fibrosus (the tough outer shell) and the nucleus pulposus (the inner gelatinous core). As an individual grows older, the annuli fibrosi can become hard and brittle and the nuclei pulposi can dehydrate and become less elastic. These changes make the discs susceptible to herniating (when an annulus fibrosus develops a tear through which the nucleus pulposus escapes), and bulging (when an annulus fibrosus weakens to the point that it can no longer hold its shape, allowing the nucleus pulposus to shift � or bulge � to one side). Both conditions can cause compression of the sciatic nerve.
- Spinal arthritis � Like other types of arthritis, spinal arthritis occurs when the joints (in this case, the facet joints) lose their cartilaginous lining and become inflamed. The sciatic nerve can become compressed by an inflamed facet joint, or by an osteophyte (bone spur) that has developed as a result of arthritis. The body sometimes creates osteophytes to stabilize a joint and prevent bones from uncomfortably rubbing against one another.
Treatments for Sciatica
Most patients are able to relieve the condition�s symptoms through the use of conservative, nonsurgical treatments. Treatment regimens for sciatica generally include:
- Over-the-counter, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications such as ibuprofen or naproxen
- Physical therapy
- The application of heat and/or ice
- Lifestyle modifications (i.e. quitting smoking, reducing alcohol consumption, etc.)
Some patients utilize alternative therapies, either as a supplement or alternative to the conservative treatments their physicians have recommended. Popular alternative therapies include:
- Acupuncture
- Aroma therapy
- Massage therapy
- Chiropractic manipulation
- Restorative yoga
Surgical Treatment for Sciatica
A small minority of patients many not fully benefit from nonsurgical treatments and may be advised to undergo surgery to decompress the sciatic nerve. Before consenting to any operation, patients should examine all risks and benefits and make sure they�re comfortable with the lengthy, arduous rehabilitation that will follow. Patients would also be wise to receive a second � or even third � opinion to ensure that their condition was properly diagnosed and that surgery truly is their best course of action. Some patients may even be candidates for minimally invasive procedures as an alternative to open spine surgeries.
About The Author: Peg Smith is an experienced writer who has written for a number of notable publications and is able to offer advice and insight on a multitude of topics, including health and wellness. http://www.itriagehealth.com/facility/laser-spine-institute-1287897
Please use the HTML version of this article at:
http://www.isnare.com/html.php?aid=1853211
*********************** ARTICLE END ***********************
- To distribute your articles go to http://www.isnare.com/distribution.php
- For more free-reprint articles go to http://www.isnare.com
Message delivered directly to members of the group:
publish-the...@googlegroups.com
*****************************************************************
Please consider this free-reprint article written by:
Peg Smith
*****************************
IMPORTANT - Publication/Reprint Terms
- You have permission to publish this article electronically in free-only publications such as a website or an ezine as long as the bylines are included.
- You are not allowed to use this article for commercial purposes. The article should only be reprinted in a publicly accessible website and not in a members-only commercial site.
- You are not allowed to post/reprint this article in any sites/publications that contains or supports hate, violence, porn and warez or any indecent and illegal sites/publications.
- You are not allowed to use this article in UCE (Unsolicited Commercial Email) or SPAM. This article MUST be distributed in an opt-in email list only.
- If you distribute this article in an ezine or newsletter, we ask that you send a copy of the newsletter or ezine that contains the article to http://www.isnare.com/eta.php?aid=1853211
- If you post this article in a website/forum/blog, ALL links MUST be set to hyperlinks and we ask that you send a copy of the URL where the article is posted to http://www.isnare.com/eta.php?aid=1853211
- We request that you ask permission from the author if you want to publish this article in print.
The role of iSnare.com is only to distribute this article as part of its Article Distribution feature ( http://www.isnare.com/distribution.php ). iSnare.com does NOT own this article, please respect the author's copyright and this publication/reprint terms. If you do not agree to any of these terms, please do not reprint or publish this article.
*****************************
Article Title: Everything You Need to Know About Sciatica
Author: Peg Smith
Word Count: 547
Article URL: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=1853211&ca=Medicines+and+Remedies
Format: 64cpl
Contact The Author: http://www.isnare.com/eta.php?aid=1853211
Easy Publish Tool: http://www.isnare.com/html.php?aid=1853211
*********************** ARTICLE START ***********************
Sciatica is a set of symptoms that are experienced when the sciatic nerve (the body�s largest and longest nerve) becomes compressed by a misaligned, inflamed, or otherwise damaged portion of the spine. This generally occurs because of nothing more nefarious than the natural aging process. Over time, the spine can begin to break down because of the strain that it constantly endures. The breakdown of certain components of the spine can lead to sciatica, which causes shooting pain, numbness, tingling, and muscle weakness along one side of the lower body.
Causes of Sciatica
A variety of degenerative spine conditions can cause compression of the sciatic nerve, including:
- Herniated and bulging discs � These conditions affect the intervertebral discs, which are small shock absorbers that provide cushioning to the vertebrae (the bone structures that house and protect the spinal cord). A disc is comprised of two elements: the annulus fibrosus (the tough outer shell) and the nucleus pulposus (the inner gelatinous core). As an individual grows older, the annuli fibrosi can become hard and brittle and the nuclei pulposi can dehydrate and become less elastic. These changes make the discs susceptible to herniating (when an annulus fibrosus develops a tear through which the nucleus pulposus escapes), and bulging (when an annulus fibrosus weakens to the point that it can no longer hold its shape, allowing the nucleus pulposus to shift � or bulge � to one side). Both conditions can cause compression of the sciatic nerve.
- Spinal arthritis � Like other types of arthritis, spinal arthritis occurs when the joints (in this case, the facet joints) lose their cartilaginous lining and become inflamed. The sciatic nerve can become compressed by an inflamed facet joint, or by an osteophyte (bone spur) that has developed as a result of arthritis. The body sometimes creates osteophytes to stabilize a joint and prevent bones from uncomfortably rubbing against one another.
Treatments for Sciatica
Most patients are able to relieve the condition�s symptoms through the use of conservative, nonsurgical treatments. Treatment regimens for sciatica generally include:
- Over-the-counter, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications such as ibuprofen or naproxen
- Physical therapy
- The application of heat and/or ice
- Lifestyle modifications (i.e. quitting smoking, reducing alcohol consumption, etc.)
Some patients utilize alternative therapies, either as a supplement or alternative to the conservative treatments their physicians have recommended. Popular alternative therapies include:
- Acupuncture
- Aroma therapy
- Massage therapy
- Chiropractic manipulation
- Restorative yoga
Surgical Treatment for Sciatica
A small minority of patients many not fully benefit from nonsurgical treatments and may be advised to undergo surgery to decompress the sciatic nerve. Before consenting to any operation, patients should examine all risks and benefits and make sure they�re comfortable with the lengthy, arduous rehabilitation that will follow. Patients would also be wise to receive a second � or even third � opinion to ensure that their condition was properly diagnosed and that surgery truly is their best course of action. Some patients may even be candidates for minimally invasive procedures as an alternative to open spine surgeries.
About The Author: Peg Smith is an experienced writer who has written for a number of notable publications and is able to offer advice and insight on a multitude of topics, including health and wellness. http://www.itriagehealth.com/facility/laser-spine-institute-1287897
Please use the HTML version of this article at:
http://www.isnare.com/html.php?aid=1853211
*********************** ARTICLE END ***********************
- To distribute your articles go to http://www.isnare.com/distribution.php
- For more free-reprint articles go to http://www.isnare.com
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