Remove inflammation of the sciatic nerve. Symptoms and treatment at home for a pinched sciatic nerve

Inflammation sciatic nerve- This is a rather unpleasant neurological disease, which is accompanied by severe pain. Therefore, when its symptoms appear, it is important to immediately contact an experienced neurologist. Only a specialist can alleviate the manifestations of the pathology and prevent the occurrence of relapses.

What is sciatic nerve inflammation

Inflammation of the sciatic nerve or sciatica is a condition in which the roots of the lumbosacral region, located in the spinal cord, are affected. In this case, pain is localized in the lower back and in posterior region hips.

The sciatic nerve is considered the largest - it begins in lower section back, passes through the buttocks and reaches the lower extremities. Therefore, its inflammation can cause pronounced pain syndrome.

The photo shows where the sciatic nerve is located. This is where inflammation occurs.

During pregnancy, sciatica can seriously affect a woman's health, as it significantly reduces her physical activity and causes severe pain. There can be many reasons for inflammation of the sciatic nerve during pregnancy - injuries, hypothermia, infections.

Therefore, it is very important to immediately consult a doctor. Only a specialist can choose proper treatment, because many drugs during pregnancy are contraindicated.

Neurological diseases are one of the most unpleasant and difficult to treat, since the nerve is most often affected. So there is nothing but inflammation of this very nerve. Here you will learn all about this disease.

Visual impairment can also be associated with vasoconstriction of the brain and be one of its signs.

Causes

Often the inflammatory process is the result of an intervertebral hernia, which puts pressure on the nerve. Often this pathology occurs as a complication of an advanced form of osteochondrosis, in which the gap between the vertebrae decreases, which causes compression of the sciatic nerve.

Other common causes of sciatica include:

Hypothermia.
Traumatic injuries.
Changing the shape of the vertebrae.
Irritation of the nerve - tumors, muscles, bones.
Constipation.
Arthritis.
Diabetes.
Internal bleeding.
Gynecological diseases.

Symptoms and signs of the disease

The main symptom of the inflammatory process is pain, which is usually localized in lower limbs. This provokes a loss of sensation in the legs, contributes to impaired motor activity.

Pain sensations are different and can be sharp, pulling, burning or stabbing. Usually there are bouts of pain, in which acute period can be replaced by relative calm.

As a rule, a person experiences discomfort on only one side. The exception is bilateral sciatica. If this pathology accompanied by intense pain, this causes the patient a lot of suffering, because any attempt to take at least a step leads to an aggravation.

Sometimes inflammation manifests itself as fairly mild symptoms. In this case, most often there is a loss of sensitivity, tingling and numbness in the legs are observed.

The neglected form of the disease can cause weakening of certain muscles or their partial atrophy. As a result, a person loses the ability to normally bend the leg at the lower leg or raise the foot.

Since the sciatic nerve is closely related to the peripheral threads located in the nervous system, urinary or fecal incontinence may occur over time.

Diagnostics

To determine the diagnosis, you need to comprehensive examination, including:

Examination by a neurologist. It can be supplemented by a consultation with a vascular surgeon, vertebrologist or rheumatologist.
Tomographic examinations.
clinical analyses.
X-ray of the spine. Be sure to perform in several positions - lying and sitting.

Treatment Methods

How to treat inflammation of the sciatic nerve, decide necessarily taking into account individual characteristics, but commonly therapies include:

Medical treatment.
Physiotherapy.
Therapeutic exercise.
Massage.

Compliance plays an important role correct mode. It is very important that the patient lies on a hard bed. Until the signs of an acute inflammatory process subside, motor activity need to be minimized.

Until elimination pain bed rest should be observed. How to relieve inflammation of the sciatic nerve in a particular case, the attending physician decides.

Medical therapy

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are actively used to treat inflammation of the sciatic nerve.

With their help, it is possible to suspend the action of cyclooxygenase, an enzyme that takes part in the production of prostanoids.

In addition, these drugs have anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects. These include:

diclofenac;
ibuprofen;
orthophene;
sulindac;
indomethacin;
ketorolac;
naproxen.

It should be borne in mind that all these drugs adversely affect the condition of the gastric mucosa, they reduce blood clotting and adversely affect the functioning of the kidneys. Therefore, they are used with restrictions, although they help to cure inflammation.

There are more safe drugs that are not annoying digestive tract. These funds can be used for a longer time.

Sparing drugs for inflammation of the sciatic nerve:

nimesulide;
arcoxia;
movalis.

If the pain is of high intensity, short courses may be prescribed. hormonal drugs for the treatment of inflammation of the sciatic nerve.

They help to defeat the pain syndrome, but are not able to cope with the cause of inflammation. In addition, their use has many side effects.

Also as additional funds vitamins may be prescribed. With sciatica, vitamins of group B, E are especially useful. Also, drugs are shown that help relax muscles and improve metabolism.

Injections and ointments

As a last resort, with a sharp exacerbation of the disease, injections are prescribed. This method is used if conservative therapy does not bring the desired results.

Injections for inflammation of the sciatic nerve should only be carried out by a specialist.

Injections of steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for inflammation are made as close as possible to the sciatic nerve. This allows you to immediately act on the affected area, which ensures a quick result.

For external use use various ointments, gels, patches. You can apply the following ointments:

"Virapin";
"Naftalgin";
"Finalgon";
"Saliniment";
"Viprosal".

In the treatment of the inflammatory process, ointments with mustard oil, propolis, and turpentine have proven themselves well. When using these funds, the nerve is activated, blood circulation increases, and the affected area warms up.

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Surgery

This type of treatment is required only if there is serious violation in work pelvic organs. If a pathology is found intervertebral disc perform microsurgical intervention.

With the help of special instruments, an operation called microdiscectomy is performed. During this procedure, the part of the displaced disc that is putting pressure on the nerve is removed.

Massage and physiotherapy

Massage can be performed after the exacerbation has ended. With the help of this procedure, it is possible to improve blood circulation, reduce pain, increase nerve conductivity, and prevent muscle hypotrophy.

The course of such procedures should include at least ten sessions. Moreover, their intensity should be gradually increased. The last sessions are more aimed at eliminating negative health effects, and are also used as a preventive measure.

Physiotherapeutic procedures are quite effective for sciatica - phonophoresis, electrophoresis, compresses, warming up. During such procedures, medications can be administered that significantly speed up the recovery process.

Antispasmodics, anti-inflammatory drugs, vitamins, muscle relaxants are often used.

Therapeutic exercise and gymnastics

To eliminate inflammation, exercises are used that improve blood circulation in the lumbar region and reduce pain.

The most effective are the following:

1. Raising the legs.

Lie on your back, bend your legs at the knees. From this position, raise one leg 30 cm and hold for 10 seconds. Return to the original position and do the same with the other leg. Run at a slow pace 8-12 times.

2. Exercise with the ball.

Lie on your back, squeeze the ball between your legs, bend your legs at the knees. While holding the ball, raise your legs 30 cm from the floor. Move the ball to the left and hold for 10 seconds. Return to the starting position and repeat the same on the right side. Do 10 repetitions.

3. Push-ups from the wall.

Lean your palms against the wall. Slowly bend your elbows and return to the starting position in the same way. Do 10-15 repetitions.

Folk remedies

Such prescriptions can be used only after consulting a doctor, as they have many contraindications.

Cupping massage. Lubricate the affected area with a warming cream, put the jar and move it, performing circular movements. You need to do this every other day for 10 minutes.
Beeswax. Heat the wax in a water bath until it becomes soft. Make a cake and put on the affected area. Top cover with a film, cotton wool and bandage. Leave overnight. Repeat the procedure for a week.
Tincture from pine buds. Take pine buds, pour vodka over them and insist in a dark place. You need to do this throughout the week. Wipe the affected area with the infusion.

Consequences

If treatment is started on time, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of dangerous health consequences and forget about it. unpleasant disease. If this is not done, very serious complications. It could be partial atrophy muscles, loss of sensation in the legs, urinary and fecal incontinence.

Prevention measures

If you lead predominantly sedentary image life, the muscles weaken and it is quite difficult for them to hold their back. As a result, developing various pathologies which cause inflammation of the sciatic nerve. To avoid this, you need to engage in the prevention of sciatica.

The main activities include:

Moderate sports loads, strengthening the muscular corset.
The use of products with high content calcium and magnesium.
Elimination of asymmetry of the torso with the help of manual therapy.
Strengthening the arms and stretching the spine by hanging on the horizontal bar.
Timely correction of posture in childhood.
Performing back bends on all fours.

Inflammation of the sciatic nerve is accompanied by severe pain and can lead to negative consequences for good health. Therefore, it is so important at the first signs of pathology to consult a doctor who will select an adequate treatment.

The video will tell you what to do with inflammation of the sciatic nerve:

In medicine, inflammation of the sciatic nerve is called. At the same time, sciatica in the lumbosacral region spinal cord with infringement of the roots also refers to sciatica. Synonyms of sciatica are diseases such as neuritis, pinching and inflammation of the sciatic nerve.

In the human body, the sciatic nerve is the longest and largest. It is located in the lower back, passes through the buttocks and ends in the lower extremities.

As a result of compression of the sciatic nerve, the roots in the lumbosacral spine experience pressure, then become inflamed and the person experiences pain of varying degrees.

Pain can be localized in the lumbar region, back side thighs, feet, legs. The pain may increase with walking, coughing fits. IN initial stage sciatica can manifest as lumbago, sciatica, or lumbalgia.

Pain can be both weak, muffled, and unbearable, in which the patient cannot move normally, even sleep.
With the manifestation of pain, you should immediately seek qualified help from a neurologist.

Provoking factors

Lumbar hernia is one of the provocateurs of nerve inflammation

Inflammation of the sciatic nerve in itself is not an independent disease and in most cases manifests itself as a reaction to other disorders in the body.

With an intervertebral hernia, the nerve experiences compression and the inflammatory process starts.

Often, osteochondrosis in advanced form with complications serves as a provocateur of sciatica.

As a result, the intervertebral gap is minimized and the sciatic nerve is compressed.

Inflammation of the sciatic nerve can begin under the influence of such causes:

injuries of the back, pelvis, limbs;
sudden hypothermia of the body;
pathological changes in the shape of the vertebrae (growths);
arthritis;
gynecological diseases;
diabetes;
penetration into the body of infection and the development of inflammatory processes;
exposure to nerve irritants in the form of tumors, muscles (syndrome piriformis muscle), bone tissues;
constipation;
internal bleeding;
heavy physical activity.

Symptoms and characteristic signs

The defining symptom of the presence of an inflammatory process in the area of the sciatic nerve is pain manifested in the lower extremities. Sensitivity in the legs is lost, normal motor function is disturbed.

Pain in nature can be different - stabbing, sharp, burning, pulling. The pain comes on paroxysmal. A sharp period of exacerbation is replaced by relative peace.

Mostly discomfort is experienced on one side. Bilateral inflammation of the sciatic nerve is less common.

According to statistics, in women, sciatica in 80% of cases is observed with right side. In men, on the contrary, on the left side.

Attacks, as a rule, come as a result of physical or emotional overload. If at the same time hypothermia is added, then inflammation of the sciatic nerve is very likely. Very often inflammation occurs at night.

Sensitivity skin changes along the course of the nerve. You may experience tingling, goosebumps, or numbness. The pain begins on the back of the femoral side and gradually descends to the lower leg, foot. Pain after an attack does not go away, it is felt in the area between the vertebrae (5 lumbar and 1 sacral), in the center of the buttocks and under the knee.

Often the sciatic nerve hurts so badly that it can lead to. There may also be redness of the skin, swelling, excessive sweating stop.

Walking, standing for a long time sitting position on a hard chair delivers pain. Man spontaneously seeks comfortable position body, shifts the center of gravity to good leg. The gait is disturbed (the leg, as it were, stretches with pain in the lower back).

In especially severe cases of inflammation of the sciatic nerve, the functionality of the nerve is significantly limited or completely impaired. As a result of this, the muscles (calf, thigh, gluteal) may decrease in size. The patient has difficulty flexing the lower leg, moving the fingers and turning the foot due to a temporary “off” of the muscle on the back of the thigh.

The sidal nerve is an integral part nervous system and its inflammation in some cases can lead to uncontrolled urination, bowel movements and cause other unpleasant symptoms.

Diagnosing a violation

staging correct diagnosis is the key to successful patient care. To this end, it is necessary to take a number of complex measures:

initial examination by neurologists, in some cases, examination and consultation with rheumatologists will be required, vascular surgeons, vertebrologists;
collection of clinical tests;
radiography spinal department in two fixed positions (sitting, lying down);
MRI, computed tomography;
radioisotope scanning of the spinal region (appointed for suspected tumor formation, for HIV-infected people);
electromyography.

On examination, a neurologist reveals whole line symptoms of sciatica:

landing symptom;
symptom of Sicard;
flabbiness and hypotension of muscles;
the gluteal fold from the side of inflammation is significantly lowered;
Achilles tendon has a weakened reflex.

Treatment methods

How to treat inflammation of the sciatic nerve is decided on an individual basis. The following therapies are used:

drug therapy;
physiotherapy procedures;
massage sessions.

During treatment, you must follow the regimen. The patient should have a hard bed. During the period of exacerbation, physical activity should be limited to the minimum limits. Bed rest is necessary until the acute inflammation is relieved.

Therapy with medications

Drug treatment of inflammation of the sciatic nerve is made by drugs NSAID groups. They make it possible to stop the action of the enzyme cyclooxygenase, which is responsible for the production of prostanoids.

In practice, the following drugs are used:

Ketorolac;
Diclofenac;
ibuprofen;
Naproxen;
Ortofen.

These drugs can relieve pain and inflammation. At the same time, one should not lose sight of the fact that drugs have side effects- the work of the kidneys becomes difficult, blood clotting decreases, the gastric mucosa changes for the worse. The term of their application should be short.

After the removal of acute inflammation, it is possible to use safe dosage forms, but with a longer course of treatment.

Such sparing forms include the following drugs:

Movalis;
Nimesulide;
Arcoxia.

Hormonal drugs can be prescribed in cases of unbearable pain. They are used for a short time, only to relieve pain. Hormonal drugs are dangerous for their side effects.

In addition to drug forms, vitamin complexes. special role play vitamins E, B.

Medications to normalize metabolic processes, take off muscle tension also used in the treatment of sciatica.

In especially severe cases, acute inflammation sciatic nerve at sharp deterioration the patient's condition injections are given. Injections are used only when therapy with tablet forms does not bring the desired effect.

The injection should be done by a specialist. Steroid drug injected as close as possible to the sciatic nerve in the affected area.

In the treatment, external medicines are also used in the form of patches, gels, ointments. Experts recommend such ointments:

Viprosal;
Finalgon;
Virapin;
Saliniment;
Naftalgin.

To activate the work of the nerve, increase blood flow, you can use propolis, turpentine, mustard oil as part of medicinal ointments.

Physiotherapy procedures

With sciatica, the following physiotherapy is indicated:

phonophoresis;
compresses;
warming procedures.

In combination with physiotherapy, dosed doses are introduced medical preparations. As a result, the blood circulation of the inflamed areas increases, recovery is faster.

The appointment of procedures is the prerogative of the attending physician, he regulates the number of sessions, etc. Therapeutic massage is allowed to be used only after passing through a dangerous phase of exacerbation. Massage has a beneficial effect on muscle recovery, relieves pain, improves blood flow, increases the conductivity of the sciatic nerve.

The effect of massage can come from at least 10 sessions. With each session, the intensity of exposure should increase.

Exercise therapy and gymnastics

In the arsenal of methods for combating inflammation of the sciatic nerve, there are proven methods of physical therapy. Gymnastics, performing simple exercises will improve the general condition of the patient, will improve blood flow in the lumbar region.

Simple and effective exercises:

We raise our legs. The exercise is performed from a supine position. The legs alternately bend at the knees and rise to a height of 0.3 meters, the leg is fixed for 10 seconds. Performed 8 to 12 times at a slow pace.
Pushing off the wall. Become facing the wall, focus on the palms. We serve the body to the wall, elbows are bent. We unbend the elbows, the body returns to its original position. In a slow rhythm, it is done from 10 to 15 times.
Practicing with the ball. Lying on your back, hold the ball between your legs. We bend our knees, raise them to a height of 0.3 m. We make a turn with the ball to the right for 10 seconds. We return to the starting position. The same turn with the ball in the other direction. It is done 10 times.

Surgery

The surgical method for the treatment of sciatica is indicated in exceptional cases with a cardinal violation in the functioning of the pelvic organs. The removal of a disc or part of it is called a microdiscectomy. The pathology of the intervertebral disc is eliminated, the cause of the pinched nerve is eliminated.

What to do if the sciatic nerve is inflamed and sore:

Treatment with folk remedies

To the treatment of inflammation of the sciatic nerve folk remedies at home should be treated quite carefully. Consultation with a specialist neurologist will be quite useful.

The most effective recipes:

What could be the consequences

If you do not start the treatment process, you can avoid unpleasant consequences course of inflammation of the sciatic nerve. Possible complications include the following:

partial or complete muscle atrophy;
legs lose sensation;
urine and stool do not hold, and the patient cannot control this process.

Preventive measures

The muscle corset must be kept in good shape. The weakening of the holding capacity of the muscles leads to displacement various bodies(the spine ceases to function as a supporting column of the body). And as a result, the sciatic nerve becomes inflamed.

Therefore, it is necessary to take care of your health, the following recommendations will help to fight sciatica:

An inflamed sciatic nerve can give a person a lot of trouble, pain and negative health in general. Do not be shy at the very first symptoms that indicate inflammation of the sciatic nerve, contact the doctors, this will help to treat the pathology in a timely manner.

The human body has two large sciatic nerves that originate in lumbar.

They descend down the back of the thighs, then branches into the peroneal and tibial branches, then further into small nerves.

The sciatic nerve is connected with many organs of the human body and has a great length.

There is a rather interesting theory of the cause of sciatic neuralgia. Knowing this cause will help prevent similar problems.

To anyone who has encountered such a disease of the sciatic nerve as, experience suggests that this is a practically incurable disease.

And all treatment, in fact, comes down to temporary anesthesia.

The problem is that a person is not able to control the tone of the spinal muscles, the piriformis muscle, the gluteal muscles, which, with spasms or tension, can lead to pain in the spine, back, limbs, and.

It is amazing that a person, with all his ability to freely strain his muscles, cannot relax them.

Psychological reasons

The brain controls this whole process, its structures take responsibility for the emotionality of a person, since skeletal system, vessels and others internal organs are under the control of the trunk and cerebral hemispheres.

And, as you know, negative emotions, sometimes even short-term, lead to muscle tension, while positive ones relax.

For the final conviction that this theory is true, we can bring an interesting nuance.

It is worth noting that women and men differ in the structure of their organisms, and we can see such a difference in the functioning of the brain.

The question arises: "What is the relationship of this?" Everything is easily explained - from this fact it becomes clear that there is a difference in the localization of diseases of the sciatic nerve.

In 80% of men, pinching pain extends to left leg And left side buttocks.

In women, on the contrary, right half. As well as the degree of development of the hemispheres - men have better developed left hemisphere, in women - right. The same distribution of control occurs in stressful situations.

If there negative thoughts, stress, anxiety, Bad mood, in men, the left sciatic nerve spasms with tension, in women the right one. All internal experiences, self-flagellation, dissatisfaction with one's work and oneself also influence the exacerbation of pinching and inflammation.

In order to avoid such negative reactions of your body, you should relax more, look for harmony and avoid stressful situations.

Physical reasons

In addition to the psychological side of the issue, there are a number of reasons due to which such a frequent disease in our time as infringement and inflammation of the sciatic nerve can occur.

- with a hernia or displacement of the vertebrae, there is a complication in the form of pinching of the sciatic nerve.
- the spinous-sacral ligament (altered due to osteochondrosis) or the gluteal artery of the piriformis muscle can be simultaneously compressed with the nerve. Osteochondrosis is the most common cause of sciatic nerve disease.
Metabolic disorders and diabetes.
- displacement of the vertebrae, dislocations and subluxations due to a fall, impact and other mechanical influences on the spine.
Excessive loads on the spinal column- physical activity that leads to muscle strain. This reason, along with osteochondrosis, is "popular". Due to the large loads on the spinal column in the lumbar region, nerve compression may occur. Or displacement and, as a result, pinching, may be due to improper load distribution.
Nerve entrapment by a thrombus, tumor, or abscess - it occurs due to the lack of anatomically normal space.
Infectious diseases (syphilis, gonorrhea) - most often occurs as a result chronic disease pelvic organs as a complication.
Pregnancy- fetal weight during pregnancy last dates getting bigger, just like amniotic fluid, so there is Great chance hernia or displacement of a vertebra, which can pinch the sciatic nerve.

Most often there are several reasons. Diseases of the sciatic nerve often occur in more adulthood. The background of a number of various changes in the spine and vascular disorders sciatic nerve.

Children do not suffer from this disease.

Disease symptoms

As already known, the location of the sciatic nerve is on the back of the thigh and goes down to the toes.

Pain, as a rule, with inflammation occurs in one of the nerves.

Localization of pain - buttock, rear end hips, along the calf behind the knee and sometimes reaches the foot.

With neuritis or pinching of the sciatic nerve, stabbing, burning and sharp pain. Its periodicity is different: it can both arise and immediately subside, and chronic pain is also possible.

Against the background of physical or emotional overstrain during an attack of inflammation of the nerve, if hypothermia was also present, the symptoms may begin at night. The sensitivity of the skin to the location of the nerve increases or decreases, which manifests itself as: numbness, goosebumps or tingling. The pain spreads from top to bottom of the leg gradually.

After an attack of inflammation, the pain remains in the center of the buttock, under the knee, as well as between 1 sacral vertebra and 5 lumbar. Not infrequently, due to fairly severe pain, there may be vegetative disorders: swelling, excessive sweating, redness of the skin, and fainting is possible. Increased pain most often occurs after a long walk, standing for a long time, sitting on a surface made of hard materials. a clear sign sciatic neuralgia is gait disturbance, a person tries to switch the load on a healthy leg more.

If pinching proceeds in an aggravated form, the main symptoms are decrease or complete violation nerve function.

The gastrocnemius, femoral, and gluteal muscles may become smaller as a result. There is difficulty in flexing the lower leg or impaired rotation of the foot and flexion of the toes.

Diseases of the sciatic nerve

Pinching

The disease has another name in official medicine - "lumbosacral sciatica with predominant pinching of the roots of the sacral region."

It can pass without inflammation, which can be considered.

Pinching can be as a result of spinal injuries, diabetes, hypothermia, or an inflammatory process.

Pathology without inflammation is quite rare. Therefore, infringement can be aggravated by the inflammatory process.

Inflammation

Another name for inflammation of the sciatic nerve is "", which is quite common, but not everyone always knows what kind of disease it is.

Sciatica can occur due to or.

The presence of a hernia determines how much the disease will be painful.

Sciatica is quite common.

Treatment

Quite a lot of people suffering from sciatic nerve problems are looking for the answer to the question "How to treat diseases of the sciatic nerve?".

Treatment takes place in two stages:

The first step is to relieve the pain caused by the disease.
At the second stage, it is necessary to determine the cause due to which the sciatic nerve was pinched, after eliminating this cause.

Medical therapy

The patient is prescribed drugs for inflammation of the sciatic nerve to eliminate painful symptoms. Anticonvulsants, pain relievers, tricyclic antidepressants, and physical therapy may be prescribed. An important role in alleviating the patient's condition is played by the state of rest, bed rest. Try to avoid physical overstrain: movement and activity. Necessary condition- provide complete rest to the nerve.

Physiotherapy and traction

After relief general condition the patient's doctor continues the main treatment. Physical therapy and traction are some of the most common treatments, especially if lower back problems exist. Therapeutic gymnastics and acupuncture are also good in the fight against the disease. To relieve pain and strengthen muscles, you need to perform gentle physical activity. In no case do not risk starting to do any exercises without the advice of a doctor. Sometimes it is necessary to apply the blockade with sufficiently severe pain.

Operation

Sometimes there is a need surgical intervention if the inflammation occurred due to compression of the nerve roots by a hernia or tumor. If the patient has osteochondrosis, then traction will be mandatory for him. If, due to an infectious disease, inflammation of the nerve occurs, then antibiotic therapy is prescribed to it.

Prevention

Prevention of diseases of the sciatic nerve is necessary at any age and for everyone, regardless physical activity person.

regular exercise to strengthen the muscles of the back;
sleep on a hard mattress
avoid physical heavy loads on the spine;
avoid hypothermia;
try to keep your back straight all the time;
women are not advised to wear shoes with high heels Often;
try to spend less time in static positions.

Take care of yourself, take care of your back and spine and don't forget - the main enemy of pain is sedentary image life!

The sciatic nerve is the longest nerve in the body, starting in the lower back and ending in the foot, passing through the thigh and lower leg. Inflammation of the sciatic nerve (in medicine, this pathology is referred to as sciatica) can develop even in absolutely healthy person, moreover, it will not be a separate, independent disease. Due to the fact that the sciatic nerve is long, with the development of the inflammatory process, a person will experience pain and discomfort along the entire “path” of its passage in the body.

Causes of inflammation of the sciatic nerve

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Many factors can lead to the development of a pathological process in the sciatic nerve, but doctors, as a result of many years of statistics, have identified several main ones. Causes of sciatica:

piriformis syndrome;
constant / frequent hypothermia;
displacement of the intervertebral disc, which is accompanied by pinching of the sciatic nerve (it can be complete or partial);
previously diagnosed neoplasms of a benign or malignant nature;
excessive physical activity, which leads to damage to the muscle tissue of the small pelvis.

The main symptom of the considered pathological process is severe pain along the anatomical location of the sciatic nerve. Moreover, the pain syndrome is localized on the side where inflammation develops, but on the healthy side, either short-term numbness or unpleasant tingling in the leg and buttock will be noted.

Note:extremely rarely, inflammation of the sciatic nerve develops simultaneously on both sides. In this case, the pain will affect both legs and buttocks.

Patients note that the pain syndrome develops on the rise - at the very beginning of the pathological process, pain appears only during physical exertion, with sudden movements of the body, sneezing or coughing. The progression of the inflammatory process leads to an increase in pain, then they are constantly present, but especially strongly. discomfort disturb the patient at night. A patient with a progressive inflammatory process suffers from insomnia (at night he simply cannot fall asleep or often wakes up), and everything ends (if there is no treatment) with immobilization of a person due to acute, intense and continuous pain.

How is sciatica diagnosed?

If the first symptoms of inflammation of the sciatic nerve appear, then you need to seek help from a neurologist. Only a specialist can make a diagnosis and conduct a full examination - this is necessary to identify true reason development of sciatica.

As part of the diagnosis of inflammation of the sciatic nerve, doctors prescribe:

laboratory blood test - and;
in different projections.

Note: with the progression of the inflammatory process in question, the patient may experience a malfunction knee joints, the appearance of abnormal neurological reflexes. In some cases, with difficult diagnosis or the presence of atypical symptoms, you may need to consult a rheumatologist, vascular surgeon.

It's worth knowing that primary symptoms inflammation of the sciatic nerve may be similar to signs of more serious illnesses.That's why immediate appeal behind medical care needed in the following cases:

body temperature rose to 39-40 degrees for no apparent reason - there are no signs of an acute respiratory viral infection or other pathological conditions;
pain syndrome quickly becomes intense, discomfort spreads not only along the entire length of the leg, but also to other parts of the body;
V pelvic region, legs and buttocks, severe numbness appeared, which becomes an obstacle to the free movement of the patient;
during urination there is a strong burning sensation;
urinary or fecal incontinence has occurred (even if this is an isolated case);
edema appeared on the back;
hyperemia is noted in the lumbar region - redness of the skin.

Treatment of inflammation of the sciatic nerve

Treatment of sciatica is carried out by complex therapeutic measures. It is noteworthy that there is no single prescription for all patients diagnosed with inflammation of the sciatic nerve - the course of treatment and specific procedures selected on a strictly individual basis. But there are, of course, general recommendations on the course of therapy for the development of sciatica . These include:

Acute pain forces the patient to take a supine position - doctors recommend bed rest only using a hard mattress and completely abandon even a small physical activity.
Appointed drug treatment- non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, muscle relaxants, painkillers, vitamin-mineral complexes. It is advisable to prescribe drugs local action- ointments and gels that have an irritating effect that will help get rid of spastic pain.
An integral part complex therapy is physiotherapy. The appointment of the following procedures is implied:

warming compresses and warming;
phonophoresis or electrophoresis.

Physiotherapy for diagnosed inflammation of the sciatic nerve is characterized by the use of drugs - muscle relaxants, antispasmodics and anti-inflammatory drugs.

Massage course. It can be started only after the acute process subsides, during the period of intense pain of the maximum level of inflammation, massage is strictly contraindicated. Competently, professionally performed massage helps to reduce pain, improves blood circulation and lymph flow, increases the conductivity of the affected pathological process nerve.

Exercises from the complex of physiotherapy exercises are also considered effective for inflammation of the sciatic nerve. Exercises are selected on a strictly individual basis, and they are allowed to be carried out only after therapy is directed against an acute inflammatory process. In some cases, minimal loads, the simplest physical exercises are shown to patients who are at the stage bed rest- they are performed lying down. Then, as they recover and restore health, doctors increase the load, increase the amount of exercise.

Note:after acute phase the inflammatory process is blocked medicines, the doctor can give advice to the patient about visiting the pool. The fact is that it is water that makes it possible to relax the sciatic nerve as much as possible, but at the same time provide a load on muscle tissues located around this nerve.

Usually, therapeutic measures give good effect if the patient sought medical attention in a timely manner. But if the inflammation of the sciatic nerve has already passed into chronic stage course, periodically conducted courses of therapy do not alleviate the patient's condition, then doctors can give recommendations for surgical intervention.

Prevention of sciatica

Inflammation of the sciatic nerve is quite preventable - for this you just need to constantly keep your back muscles in good shape. Simple physical exercises will cope with this “task”, even morning work-out will be productive. If a person is forced to engage in sedentary work, then at intervals of 60-90 minutes you need to take a break, get up from your desk and sit down a couple of times, perform several inclinations.

To prevent the development of the disease in question, it is necessary to avoid hypothermia and injuries, as well as to carry out complete treatment all pathological conditions that are provoking factors.

It is better to treat any disease with the help of a doctor by methods based on accurate scientific research. However, not everyone can afford to use the services official medicine due to excessive work or the remote location of the nearest hospital and are forced to treat all non-life-threatening diseases at home.

Self-treatment of neuralgia with folk methods is effective in many cases. People's reviews contain many tips for treating the sciatic nerve at home, however, in order to understand the correctness of certain tips, you need to have minimal information about the problem.

The sciatic nerve is the largest, thickest and longest nerve of the autonomic nervous system, which is responsible for the execution of signals from the central nervous system by all human organs and muscles. This paired organ a person who is located one in each leg. It departs from the spine through holes in the pelvic bones between the gluteal muscles and, located closer to the back surface, stretches along the thigh, branching under the knee into the large and which control the feet.

In addition to the tibial branches, many other smaller nerves that are responsible for the functioning of the leg join this organ.

Problem symptoms

To understand that something is not so simple with a nerve, since the symptoms of diseases of any nerve are always very bright, and the thickness of the cross section of this nerve is approximately equal to the thickness thumb hands, so it is not difficult to imagine the whole scale pain symptom present with any irritation of the nerve fiber.

The pain can be either sharp shooting or pulling and exhausting, while it spreads along the entire length of the nerve and to the lower back. Pain can be provoked not only by the movement of the leg in which it passes, but also by a simple cough or sneeze.

In addition to pain, there may be a violation of the sensitivity of the leg or its distortion in the form of goosebumps, tingling or urticaria.

With an intense lesion, the patient experiences limited mobility of the leg, its muscle weakness, severe pain during movement and rest.

Why can it hurt

Nerve diseases are divided into 2 groups - this is neuralgia or neuritis. The first is damage or severe irritation of the nerve by any factors without breaking it, that is, it just hurts, but is not destroyed or damaged. Neuritis can act as a neglected form of neuralgia or as independent disease. He differs from her in that nerve fiber either damaged or begins to collapse due to the constant impact of negative factors.

What can cause neuralgia:

Hypothermia is a common cause of nerve inflammation.
Infectious inflammation of the nerve or nearby tissues due to various microorganisms.
Compression or pinching of a nerve.
Lack of vitamins and other substances that may not be felt by the patient, but cause severe neurological pain.
Sometimes the nerve is damaged due to the needle getting into the buttock incorrectly.

In the symptoms of neuralgia of the sciatic nerve, there is such a thing as sciatica. In this case, the nerve is compressed right at the place of its attachment to the spine due to the pathologies of the vertebrae themselves. Pain in the back is worse than on the leg itself.

Causes of pinched sciatic nerve

A pinched nerve can occur for a number of reasons: tumor processes, swelling of adjacent tissues, muscle spasm, a violation of the structure, when any muscles, ligaments or bones grow a little more than normal and begin to put pressure on the nerve.

The following negative influences can pinch:

Changes in the structure of the lumbar vertebrae of the spinal cord due to intervertebral hernia, osteochondrosis, spinal injuries with their displacement or spondylosis - a degenerative process associated with wear and tear of the vertebrae.
Spasm of leg muscles due to high physical activity, swelling or inflammation.
Spinal tumor.
Abscesses of tissues near the spine.
Often there is a pinched sciatic nerve after childbirth or during pregnancy. In pregnant women in the 3rd trimester, the nerve is clamped in the pelvic region by the growing uterus with the fetus, and postpartum infringement can be caused by spasms during attempts, discrepancy pelvic bones, birth trauma because of large fruit, displacement of the vertebral discs or the formation of a hernia.

How Doctors Treat

It is best to treat the sciatic nerve with a doctor, since, in addition to the disease itself, it will most accurately determine its cause special methods diagnostics, which includes checking the relevant reflexes based on correct work this body nervous system, ultrasound or X-ray, which allow you to find out the cause of pinching, tomography of the spine, a blood test to determine the pathogen and the presence of inflammation, electroneuromyography, which determines the degree and location of its lesion.

When symptoms occur, many are confused about which doctor to go to. If there is a strong certainty of their neurological origin, then it is necessary to contact a neurologist directly, but if in doubt, you can first visit a therapist who will already refer you to the appropriate specialist.

officially recognized medical treatment sciatic nerve contains the following tricks, the use of which is based on the elimination of the causes of neuralgia:

Vitaminization and enhanced nutrition with foods rich in nutrients.
Physiotherapy.
Massage.
Physiotherapy.
Anti-inflammatory therapy and antibiotics.
The use of glucocorticoids steroid hormones designed to combat the effects of stress and have a beneficial effect on the body. These drugs include diprospan, used for neurological pain. Reviews about it note an instant calming nerve and removing, in general, all pains in the body, as well as long-term, but not permanent effect actions. This is very powerful drug used for blockades, which in no case should be used independently, but only by prescription as a last resort.
Surgical intervention. Usually used for sciatica or serious pathologies nerve. Sometimes, in order not to lose the entire nerve in severely neglected neuritis, when the structure of the nerve is severely damaged and it cannot perform its functions, the damaged area is cut out, the nerve is stretched and sutured.
Methods home treatment folk medicine in the case of neuralgia, they are the preferred methods of treatment of official medicine, as they help to quickly eliminate the problem with minimal harm to the patient's body. Why go to the doctor then? The doctor is well versed in the results of certain influences and is able to distinguish healing advice from useless or even harmful, which is rich in both the Internet with printed publications and oral advice from acquaintances.

Is it possible to treat a nerve at home?

Previously, pathologies associated with the sciatic nerve were taken for lumbar sciatica or called backache, which affected almost the entire age population of past centuries. Therefore, a lot of methods for its treatment, or at least pain relief, have accumulated in the sources of folk wisdom.

To independently diagnose the pathology of the nerve, you can use the methods of checking reflex reactions:

The patient cannot sit down with the leg extended.
The pain increases with dorsiflexion of the foot.
When raising a straight leg in a supine position, the pain becomes unbearable.

The reviews of people who treated the sciatic nerve at home contain a lot of positive about the quick and long-term effect of the procedures, however, the main condition for self-treatment is a strong belief, preferably confirmed by tests, that the pathology is not caused by neuritis and serious causes requiring surgical intervention, such as a hernia, tumor , spinal injuries, etc.

Reviews of self-treatment

It is quite difficult to choose from a variety of tips, but most people leave positive reviews on the application of the following measures:

Pain relief methods:

First of all, rest will help relieve pain in a diseased limb.
In second place is warming or cooling compresses. Cooling the nerve path, although it relieves pain well, can additionally chill it or cause diseases of the pelvic organs, so it is not necessary to use cold compresses for a cooling effect, but cool ones and apply them for a short time. Warming up is not recommended inflammatory processes, is a recognized method of treating neuralgia, relieving pain not only temporarily, but permanently, with prolonged use.
To relieve pain and inflammation in neuralgia, special painkillers and anti-inflammatory pharmaceutical ointments help well.
Gymnastics allows you to relieve negative pressure when the sciatic nerve is pinched: pulling the knees to the chest, tilting to the sides with hands touching the floor, stretching with all the strength of the back, lying down with the stomach bent elbows, bending forward with hands touching the floor from a sitting position on the heels, relaxation and tension of the back lying on the back, bending the knees, as well as spreading the arms in the shoulders with the introduction of them behind the back while sitting on the floor with legs stretched out. However, these manipulations can, on the contrary, greatly increase the pain. Classes are recommended after a period of exacerbation.
Warm baths, you can add salts or essential oils having an anti-inflammatory effect.
You can quickly reduce pain by reseeding from a low and soft seat to a high and hard one.
Lie on your back on a pillow placed under your chest on a hard or hard flat surface.
In the same position, put the pillow not under the chest, but under the knees.
Stand up with your lower back under warm shower leaning slightly back and forth.
Massage the area of greatest localization of pain with a piece of ice.
Pull up several times on the horizontal bar.
Support the spine in the lumbar region by wearing a special belt.

With severe unbearable back pain, you need to call an ambulance.

How to Treat Zyshias

There are no positive reviews about the independent solution of the problem, with the exception of the use of physiotherapy exercises.

It is very difficult to cure a pinched sciatic nerve only at home. Sometimes neurosurgery is used to release it, but more often it is used massotherapy, which performs exclusively chiropractor, or physiotherapy exercises with exercises tailored to the specific cause of pinching. If the pain cannot be eliminated by any available means a blockade is placed, which does not eliminate the causes of pain, but makes it so that the person does not feel it. The above methods will help reduce the symptoms of pinching, and how to remove the inflammation caused by it is written below.

Methods for the treatment of inflammation of the sciatic nerve:

Treatment can be carried out with the help of cupping or regular massage with the use of painkillers and anti-inflammatory ointments, it is possible with bee or snake venom.
Warming applications beeswax when it is applied in a melted form (it melts at a sufficiently low temperature) and cover the leg with a blanket.
Anti-inflammatory tinctures from golden mustache, aloe, agave, spruce or pine buds, dandelion flowers, ants or needles.
Salt therapeutic baths (contraindicated for pregnant women, especially after the first trimester).
A compress made of dense rye dough, kneaded with water, covered with cellophane.
Warm foot baths, where you can add grated horseradish or mustard.
A warm bath with pine shoots filled with boiling water at the rate of 1 kg of shoots per 1 liter of water.
Rubbing with juice black radish, mixed with honey in a ratio of three to one, or a three-day tincture of twenty medium-sized bay leaves in a glass of vodka.
Half-hour massage with a mixture of 300 grams of honey and 50 ml of alcohol.
Ingestion of anti-inflammatory infusions and decoctions, as well as vitamin mixtures that boost immunity.

Conclusion

If for any reason the sciatic nerve began to hurt, then the first rule before starting any treatment is to be examined by a doctor, since the pain can be caused by the most serious reasons and no rubbing and compresses will help with a tumor or displacement of the vertebrae. Wrong treatment can not only harm health, but also lead to neuritis, the end result of which is the loss of nerve function, and in this case, the entire leg. A person simply will not be able to control it anymore, and given the close connection with the spine, complications can also affect him.

If, nevertheless, in a categorical form, home version treatment, before starting it, it is still necessary to consult and agree on the chosen measures with a neurologist, since many drugs are contraindicated in other concomitant ailments, pregnancy, breastfeeding or other situations.