Can physical trauma cause sciatica (back pain)?!
Question: Sciatica, which is somewhat of a non-descriptive term implies pain radiating down the back of the leg. What is non-descript about this term is it doesn't imply the actual cause. USUALLY the cause is some type of referred pain from the vertebral disc in the low back. However, other causes can also produce "sciatic" type symptoms including actual compression of the sciatic nerve root from a HERNIATED disc, nerve root adherence from an old scarred down disc, sacroiliac dysfunction, etc.
The evidence linking back pain/sciatica to old previous trauma is variable and usually poor. Some studies indicate that those with a history of previous trauma are more likely to experience pain in the future, yet other studies state that someone with trauma is no more likely to experience pain later on than someone without trauma. Nearly all the studies done have major flaws...therefore, we cannot really conclude if previous trauma results in back pain years later.
We CAN say, however, that certain postural habits or repetitive motions can lead to the gradual development of back pain. Reptitive heavy and lifting is the no-brainer...yet, the one that most people do not realize is that prolonged sitting, in of itself, is a MAJOR cause for back/sciatic pain.
The majority of patients I see for back/sciatic pain have no known injury and have a job where they sit all day.
We cannot really say if your previous trauma is leading to your current symptoms...most likely, however, what you are doing currently is having a greater influence.
Answers: Sciatica, which is somewhat of a non-descriptive term implies pain radiating down the back of the leg. What is non-descript about this term is it doesn't imply the actual cause. USUALLY the cause is some type of referred pain from the vertebral disc in the low back. However, other causes can also produce "sciatic" type symptoms including actual compression of the sciatic nerve root from a HERNIATED disc, nerve root adherence from an old scarred down disc, sacroiliac dysfunction, etc.
The evidence linking back pain/sciatica to old previous trauma is variable and usually poor. Some studies indicate that those with a history of previous trauma are more likely to experience pain in the future, yet other studies state that someone with trauma is no more likely to experience pain later on than someone without trauma. Nearly all the studies done have major flaws...therefore, we cannot really conclude if previous trauma results in back pain years later.
We CAN say, however, that certain postural habits or repetitive motions can lead to the gradual development of back pain. Reptitive heavy and lifting is the no-brainer...yet, the one that most people do not realize is that prolonged sitting, in of itself, is a MAJOR cause for back/sciatic pain.
The majority of patients I see for back/sciatic pain have no known injury and have a job where they sit all day.
We cannot really say if your previous trauma is leading to your current symptoms...most likely, however, what you are doing currently is having a greater influence.
Sure it can.
sciatic nerve pain could be caused by trauma.
check it out
http://www.emedicinehealth.com/sciatica/...
most of sciatica is a result of a traumatic injury to the spinal cord or lumbar spine, so yes very definitely!