Sciatica & Poor Old Father Christmas!
As his busiest time of year approaches, Father Christmas has done himself a mischief, and as we’ve helped him out a few times in the past, he has paid The Courtyard Clinic a visit for treatment again. A few weeks ago, he was lifting a freshly wrapped present when he felt a twinge on the right side of his low back. Initially it just felt tender and achy, but by the time he woke the next morning the pain was extending from his right buttock, into the back of his thigh, back of his calf and into his foot. Since then, it has been painful to bear weight through his right leg and worse after he’s been sitting down. It jars every time he laughs (so he’s avoiding his belly wobbling like a bowlful of jelly!)
What is Sciatica?
Father Christmas’ symptoms were consistent with Sciatica. The Sciatic nerve is made up of several nerve roots that emerge from the base of our spine. It is the thickest and longest nerve in the body. True injury to the sciatic nerve is less common than you’d expect, the term “sciatica” is usually misused to describe any pain that originates in the lower back and radiates down the leg. True Sciatica will be felt through the buttock, back of the thigh, back of the calf and sole of the foot. There are many other nerves that travel into the leg that can be injured in similar circumstances. These pains are usually caused by an irritation, inflammation, pinching or compression of a nerve in the lower back.
What Causes it?
Sciatica is only really a symptom; the term simply describes pain in the sciatic nerve. There are many ways a nerve can be provoked. At The Courtyard Clinic we often see it caused by a joint strain and associated muscle spasm. In Father Christmas’ case, the Sacroiliac Joint was strained which caused the surrounding muscles to spasm, this put pressure on the sciatic nerve which led to the pain into his leg. This is sometimes described as ‘Piriformis Syndrome’, named for the muscle in the buttock that commonly causes the compression. Other causes include disc degeneration or bulges, spinal joint arthritis, bony spurs, fractures and tumours.
What are the Symptoms?
The symptoms of Sciatica include:
- Pain in the low back, buttock, back of the leg and foot.
- Numbness, pins and needles, or weakness in the low back, buttock, leg or feet.
If the root problem begins to put pressure on the spinal cord it can cause a loss of bowel and bladder control (Cauda Equina Syndrome). Cauda Equina Syndrome is a medical emergency that calls for urgent surgical intervention. If patients with Cauda Equina Syndrome do not receive treatment quickly, adverse results can include paralysis, impaired bladder and bowel control, difficulty walking, and other neurological and physical problems.