I have recently had a bad attack of sciatica, any sort of advice would be helpfu!

I have recently had a bad attack of sciatica, any sort of advice would be helpful to get some sort of relief?

Understanding sciatica
Low back pain and/or leg pain that usually travels down the large sciatic nerve, from the lower back down the back of each leg, is generally referred to as sciatica and is fairly common. This pain can be caused when a nerve root in the lower spine that helps form the sciatic nerve is pinched or irritated.

Sciatica is usually caused by pressure on the sciatic nerve from a herniated disc (also referred to as a ruptured disc, pinched nerve, slipped disk, etc.) in the lumbar spine. The problem is often diagnosed as a "radiculopathy", meaning that a disc has protruded from its normal position in the vertebral column and is putting pressure on the radicular nerve (nerve root) in the lower back, which forms part of the sciatic nerve.

Sciatica occurs most frequently in people between 30 and 50 years of age. Often a particular event or injury does not cause sciatica, but rather it may develop as a result of general wear and tear on the structures of the lower spine. The vast majority of people who experience sciatica get better with time (usually a few weeks or months) and find pain relief with non-surgical treatments.

Understanding sciatica pain
For some people, the pain from sciatica can be severe and debilitating. For others, the pain might be infrequent and irritating, but has the potential to get worse. Usually, sciatica only affects one side of the lower body, and the pain often radiates from the lower back all the way through the back of the thigh and down through the leg. Depending on where the sciatic nerve is affected, the pain may also radiate to the foot or toes.

Practical point:
Symptoms of sciatica pain can vary greatly but usually decreases after a few weeks or months with non-surgical treatment.One or more of the following sensations may occur as a result of sciatica:

Pain in the rear or leg that is worse when sitting

Burning or tingling down the leg

Weakness, numbness or difficulty moving the leg or foot

A constant pain on one side of the rear

A shooting pain that makes it difficult to stand up

Low back pain may be present along with the leg pain, but usually the low back pain is less severe than the leg pain

While sciatica can be very painful, it is rare that permanent nerve damage (tissue damage) will result. Most sciatica pain syndromes result from inflammation and will get better within two weeks to a few months. Also, because the spinal cord is not present in the lower (lumbar) spine, a herniated disc in this area of the anatomy does not present a danger of paralysis.

Symptoms that may constitute a medical emergency include progressive weakness in the leg or bladder/bowel incontinence. Patients with these symptoms may have cauda equina syndrome and should seek immediate medical attention. In general, patients with complicating factors should contact their doctor if sciatica occurs, including people who: have been diagnosed with cancer; take steroid medication; abuse drugs; have unexplained, significant weight low; or have HIV.

Any condition that causes irritation or impingement on the sciatic nerve can cause the pain associated with sciatica. The most common cause is a lumbar herniated disc. Other common causes of sciatica include lumbar spinal stenosis, degenerative disc disease, or isthmic spondylolisthesis.

Sciatica medical definition
To clarify medical terminology, the term sciatica (often misspelled as ciatica or siatica) is often used very broadly to describe any form of pain that radiates into the leg. However, this is not technically correct. True sciatica occurs when the sciatic nerve is pinched or irritated and the pain along the sciatic nerve is caused by this nerve (radicular pain). When the pain is referred to the leg from a joint problem (called referred pain), using the term sciatica is not technically correct. This type of referred pain (e.g. from arthritis or other joint problems) is quite common.

Physical therapy and exercise
When the sciatica pain is at its worst, patients may need to rest for a day or two, but resting for longer periods of time is usually not advisable. In fact, inactivity will usually make the sciatic pain worse. This is because regular movement and exercise is necessary to nourish the various structures in the low back and encourage the strength needed to support the low back.

Many sciatica exercises focus on strengthening the abdominal and back muscles in order to give more support for the back. Stretching exercises for sciatica target muscles that cause pain when they are tight and inflexible. When patients engage in a regular program of gentle strengthening and stretching exercises, they can recover more quickly from a flare up of sciatica and can help to prevent future episodes of pain.

Low impact aerobic exercise, such as walking or swimming (or pool therapy) is also usually a component of recovery, as aerobic activity encourages the exchange of fluids and nutrients to help create a better healing environment. Aerobic conditioning also has the added benefit of releasing endorphins, the body’s natural pain killers, which is a natural way to alleviate sciatic pain.

There are a number of types of non-surgical spine care professionals who specialize in treating sciatica symptoms, including chiropractors, physiatrists (physical medicine and rehabilitation specialists), pain medicine specialists, and physical therapists, all of whom have specialized training to provide pain relief and to help prevent future recurrences of sciatica. It is always advisable to have a qualified medical professional oversee any sciatica treatments.