Leg pain due to compression of the sciatic nerve is one of the main disabling ailments of modern society. All the more so now that we're working from home. There is treatment without surgery. Find out how below.
What is sciatic nerve pain?
The sciatic nerve is a nerve located in the lower limb of every human being. It is formed by the nerve roots L5 (fifth lumbar root) and S1 (first sacral root). The sciatic nerve has a long route from the lumbosacral spine down to the foot. In the initial part of the nerve, the nerve roots are very close to spinal structures such as the disc and the posterior facet joints. Because of this proximity, changes in the structure of the spine that occur over the years (usually after the age of 30) can pinch the nerve and cause pain along all or part of its path. This pain down the leg is called sciatica or sciatic nerve pain.
Often the person says that the pain starts in the back, goes down the buttock, down the thigh, down the leg to the foot. Other times the pain is mainly in the leg.
Sciatica can appear after lifting heavy loads, with poor posture, sitting for long periods of time, among other things. It can happen in people with lumbar arthritis or even in women during pregnancy.
Can sciatica cause leg paralysis?
Yes, sciatica can be accompanied by sensory phenomena (loss or decrease in sensitivity) or motor phenomena (loss of strength for certain movements). If you notice a loss of movement in your leg or foot, come to us urgently as there may be a serious injury to the sciatic nerve.
In this situation, the delay in care and the delay in removing the factor that is compressing the nerve can lead to sequelae, such as a definitive loss of movement, without recovery. Therefore, if you have loss of movement in the leg or any movement in the foot, especially if associated with sciatica, book your urgent appointment with us.
What are the causes of sciatica?
The sciatic nerve can be compressed and injured by a number of diseases:
- Herniated disc
- Disc protrusion
- Narrow spinal canal with narrowing of the nerve passage (spinal canal stenosis)
- Spondylolisthesis (i.e. slippage between two vertebrae, with stretching of one or more nerves)
- Retrolistese (it's a form of spondylolisthesis)
- Arthrosis interapophyseal associated with lumbar canal stenosis and spondylosis, and which causes lumbar foraminal stenosis can also cause root compression.
- Degenerative scoliosis associated with interapophyseal arthrosis can also cause stenosis of the neural foramen with nerve root compression.
- Stenosis of the neural foramen ( caused by interapophyseal arthrosis associated with degenerative spondylolisthesis ).
Others (Piriformis Syndrome, etc.).
Thus, all these situations related to the degenerative process of the spine can lead to a compression of the nerve, called radicular compression, of the sciatic nerve and then lead to pain in the leg. The compressed nerve root can become inflamed and suffer ischemia. Finally, the main cause of sciatica is herniated discs.
Herniated disc do you need emergency surgery?
As we understand, various causes can lead to compression or stretching of the nerve and hence the pain. So it's important to first define the cause of the pain. Imaging tests help us to clarify this, for example by showing a herniated disc on an MRI scan.
Next, we need to consider whether the patient has causes that imply the need for rapid surgery, which are paralysis or partial loss of movement in the leg or foot.
A Cauda equina syndrome is a neurological emergency usually caused by a herniated disc that compresses the nerve and is characterized by decreased sensitivity in the “saddle” area (the area of the human body that is in contact with a horse's saddle), fecal retention and urinary retention. If you have these symptoms, let us know as soon as possible because your neurological condition is in danger!
Most of the time, the above symptoms do not occur.
Can sciatic nerve pain in the leg be treated without surgery?
There are many causes of sciatica. Herniated discs are a major cause of sciatica. Often, the hernia is “disintegrated” by our body. That's it! A herniated disc can somehow disappear without the need for surgery. So you can win this battle without having to operate. However, if you do have a herniated disc, make sure you see a neurosurgeon for your nerves and spine, as failure to see a neurosurgeon can lead to serious problems for you and your nerves in your arms and legs.
Other important weapons for combating sciatica are minimally invasive percutaneous procedures. These include column infiltration, Percutaneous chemical rhizotomy. These are blunt procedures in which the patient is discharged the same day. They deflate the nerve root under compression and relieve nerve ischemia.
So the answer to the question is: “Yes, you can overcome sciatica without any surgical cuts”. Dr. Pinheiro Franco has a doctoral thesis on the subject and was one of the pioneers in Brazil in minimally invasive spinal procedures. Book your appointment now and find out from this great pioneer of spinal treatments whether our treatments are suitable for you.
If you have back pain and sciatica, it's very likely that your diagnosis is degenerative spine disease. So it's best to understand the subject and go to the best professionals. This complex condition associated with the ageing of the spine, called disc degeneration had its 1st book in Portuguese published by Dr. Pinheiro Franco. Yes, the authors of these lines are references in the treatment of spinal degeneration. Make an appointment now so that the best treatments among the various existing treatments can help you improve your quality of life. If you are scheduled for surgery and would like a second opinion for clarification and to have our opinion on whether your surgery is indicated, please let our team know so that an appointment can be made as soon as possible.
WHO SHOULD I SEE IF I HAVE SCIATIC NERVE PAIN?
Faced with a huge number of techniques, when a patient has a problem, such as a herniated disc with sciatica, he is totally confused by the huge number of possible treatments he hears about and finds, also by reading on Google. The aim of the doctors at Clínica Pinheiro Franco is to give you the chance to choose the best treatment for your particular case. To this end, our Director of Clínica Pinheiro Franco, Dr. João Luiz Pinheiro Franco, works hard to control the quality of what is published in Spine Science and Neurosurgery.
But how does he do it?
He is the only Brazilian member of the Editorial Board of 5 (YES! FIVE!!!) respected international scientific journals: the North American Spine Journal SPINE, the European Spine Journal, the North American Clinical Spine Surgery, the North American Spine Society Journal (NASS Journal) and the official journal of the World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies: World Neurosurgery.
Dr. Pinheiro Franco analyzes what is good science and what is not good science. Don't trust “fake news”. Go after good, internationally validated information. Go after the leading authorities on the subject of degenerative disc disease.
Our wealth of experience means that our team can analyze the pros and cons of each technique and propose what's best for your leg nerves and spine.
The most important thing for Clínica Pinheiro Franco - Neurosurgery and the spine we are the SAFETY OF YOUR NERVO there in the column who is injured.
THE BEST DECISION ON WHAT TO DO WITH YOUR CASE WILL BE FUNDAMENTAL TO IMPROVING YOUR QUALITY OF LIFE.
In short, come and see us, show us your case, bring your tests and we'll find the best treatment for you, for the safety of your nerve and your ability to move your leg.
Pinheiro Franco Clinic,
Neurosurgery and Spine,
47 years of trust.
A father and son story.
A story of fighting for our greatest asset.
A story for your Quality of Life.
