Is My Back Pain Sciatica?

From upmc.com

Sciatica pain can feel like electricity shooting down the back of your leg, even into the foot or toes. Some people have numbness or tingling, while others experience sciatica as dull pain or a burning sensation. Coughing, sneezing, and laughing may make the pain more intense.
Your lower back or leg pain may not be linked to sciatica. See your doctor to find out reason for your pain.

What Causes Sciatica Pain

Sitting for long periods of time

If you drive a vehicle or sit at a desk most of the day, you could be at risk for sciatica. Take frequent breaks, and get up and move as much as possible.

Carrying heavy loads

Physical labour such as carrying heavy loads can cause pressure on the spine and lead to a pinched nerve. To reduce pressure on your spine, practice proper lifting techniques.

Obesity

Being overweight can put extra pressure on the spine. The stress of that extra weight can lead to sciatica. Maintain a healthy weight to help decrease your chances of developing sciatica.

Age

As you age, daily activity and regular wear and tear can weaken the spine.

Clothing

Would it surprise you to know that things like keeping a cell phone in your back pocket and wearing high heels or tight-fitting pants can contribute to sciatica pain?
The cell phone in your back pocket can irritate your muscles and may lead to a compressed sciatic nerve and pain.
The way your feet are positioned in high heels can cause the hamstring muscle to stretch. The sciatic nerve runs along the hamstring, so an irritated hamstring can affect the sciatic nerve.
Any piece of clothing that cuts off circulation can compress the nerves and cause pain.
“It is important to learn the cause of your sciatica, because different causes will lead to different treatment options.” says Matt El-Kadi, MD, PhD, director of the UPMC Passavant Spine Center. “The first step is to see a doctor for an examination.”

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What Are the Conditions Treated by Spine Surgeons?

By Rohit Bhatia

Spine is an important part of the body's structure. There are 33 bones individual bones in the spine and they are stacked on top of each other. The primary function of spine is to provide support to the body and allowing us to do different physical movements such as standing, bending, sitting etc. Apart from this, strength and stability is also provided by them. There are some diseases and conditions which are suffered by the body and only treated with the help of best spine surgeons.

These may be due to injuries that are suffered by the body while playing contact sports or vehicular accidents. But there are some conditions too. Best spine doctors have mentioned the following conditions -

• Sciatica - It is a common condition which is felt by the leg. It originates from the lower back and travels down to one or both the legs. It is caused by a herniated disc or spur in the bone which is pressing on the nerve. It usually affects one side of the body.
• Scoliosis - It is a disorder in which the shape of the spine becomes slightly disfigured. There is occurrence of tilting in one side. It occurs during the growing age just before puberty. Most of the cases are not painful but people with severe scoliosis can feel pain and discomfort.
• Spinal Stenosis - in simple terms, it is the narrowing of the spinal canal. It can either be cervical or lumbar spinal stenosis. This condition adds pressure on the spinal cord and the nerves present within spine. Older people are commonly diagnosed with this as there is wear and tear of the spine.
• Degenerative Disk Disease - it is also known as osteoarthritis. It usually happens in the neck or lower back. It is the breakdown of the intervertebral disc leading to hernia. The most common symptom is pain which is caused as the spine loses flexibility and the bone spurs adds pressure on the nerve root.

Spine surgery hospitals are done with the help of the following surgeries -
• Spinal Fusion - spinal fusion is the common method which is provided by the surgeons. It is considered as a welding process in which in which two different painful vertebrae are joined together into a single solid bone. The main aim of this procedure is to remove any motion between the vertebrae. For additional leg pain, you can also be suggested laminectomy. After the procedure, there is some pain which is a natural part of the healing process. It may take several months before your spine is fully healed.
• Lumbar Discectomy - It is a minimally invasive surgery which is performed in spine surgery hospitals. It is done to fix a disc in the lower back. Instead of using a large incision, small incisions are made in the body. The outer wall of the disc which sits between the each vertebra dries out and weakens with age and injury. A small tube is inserted through the back. Tiny small tools are inserted through the tube to remove a part of the disc. You can go home the same or the next day.
• Spinal Disc Replacement - as the name suggests, it includes taking out the diseased spinal discs. It is a last resort for problems such as degenerative disc disease which is not responding to any other non invasive treatment. Artificial prosthesis is used in place of the diseased discs. It is preferred as a minimally invasive method as it is done with several small incisions instead of a long one.

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