Sciatica can be a life altering condition, and past treatment options have failed to bring relief. A new treatment option is providing relief in most cases, without the risk associated with surgery.
The complaint of Sciatica is often used inappropriately to define any pain down the leg, the true description, however is irritation to the sciatica nerve which is comprised of several nerves as they leave the lower back and join together to travel down the leg. The most common cause of true sciatica is either a bulging or herniated disc in the lumbar spine. The discs are soft structures in between each bone int he spine that acts as a shock absorber.
The disc is essentially made up of two materials an outer layer consistent with cartilage and a much softer inner portion almost gelatinous in nature. With wear and tear the outer fibers can weaken allowing the softer material to gradually migrate outwards. This in turn causes an out pouching or bulging of the disc which then can compromise the exiting nerve. When this occurs symptoms of sciatica can manifest. This may include pain, numbness and even weakness in the leg.
The treatment of sciatica often includes medications, spinal injections and in severe cases surgery may be recommended. With the exception of surgery these treatments are often temporary and don't treat the actual cause. They also bring with them the risk of undesirable side effects. If the nerve is actually compressed these treatments may offer very little relief if any at all, and surgery brings with it other undesirable risks.
Steroid injections are one of the most common treatments utilized for severe sciatica as we have outlined previously. The goal of the injection is to reduce inflammation and soothe the surrounding areas. The problem is that the injection is only temporary and offers no real long term benefit for the patient. Side effect can include spinal headaches, a rebound pain phenomenon and a spike in blood sugar in diabetics. The relief obtained can sometimes be worth the risk, however a proactive approach must be coupled with the short term pain relief.
In extreme cases of unrelenting sciatica surgery may be recommended and in a small number of cases may be an appropriate treatment. However, the overall success rate for disc related surgery is poor at only about 50% and in many cases the problem may worsen after surgery resulting in a condition called failed back surgery syndrome. This complication may arise from post surgical scarring, spinal instability, and increased stress on adjacent discs. It is very common to require another surgery in later years.
A new approach to the treatment of sciatica now exists that is safe, effective and treats the cause of the problem not just the symptoms. It's called Spinal Decompression and brings with it a patented technology that allows a negative pressure to be created inside the disc space through a gentle distraction on the spine. This technology bypasses the typical guarding reflex of the spinal muscles and produces these negative gradients drawing in bulging and herniated material as well as fluid and nutrition so the disc can heal. It's effective in over 80% of patients and has no risky side effects. While some will say it looks like traction the computer system makes it highly sophisticated and beyond the realm of traditional traction devices.
As more studies are done on this technology a consistently high success rate is achieved. The long term benefits are also very promising because as I stated previously the treatment is aimed at healing the disc and removing the pressure and irritation from the nerve, not just masking it. While spinal decompression is not right for everyone with sciatica, it certainly represents a true breakthrough and a safe long term option for this condition. - 15437
The complaint of Sciatica is often used inappropriately to define any pain down the leg, the true description, however is irritation to the sciatica nerve which is comprised of several nerves as they leave the lower back and join together to travel down the leg. The most common cause of true sciatica is either a bulging or herniated disc in the lumbar spine. The discs are soft structures in between each bone int he spine that acts as a shock absorber.
The disc is essentially made up of two materials an outer layer consistent with cartilage and a much softer inner portion almost gelatinous in nature. With wear and tear the outer fibers can weaken allowing the softer material to gradually migrate outwards. This in turn causes an out pouching or bulging of the disc which then can compromise the exiting nerve. When this occurs symptoms of sciatica can manifest. This may include pain, numbness and even weakness in the leg.
The treatment of sciatica often includes medications, spinal injections and in severe cases surgery may be recommended. With the exception of surgery these treatments are often temporary and don't treat the actual cause. They also bring with them the risk of undesirable side effects. If the nerve is actually compressed these treatments may offer very little relief if any at all, and surgery brings with it other undesirable risks.
Steroid injections are one of the most common treatments utilized for severe sciatica as we have outlined previously. The goal of the injection is to reduce inflammation and soothe the surrounding areas. The problem is that the injection is only temporary and offers no real long term benefit for the patient. Side effect can include spinal headaches, a rebound pain phenomenon and a spike in blood sugar in diabetics. The relief obtained can sometimes be worth the risk, however a proactive approach must be coupled with the short term pain relief.
In extreme cases of unrelenting sciatica surgery may be recommended and in a small number of cases may be an appropriate treatment. However, the overall success rate for disc related surgery is poor at only about 50% and in many cases the problem may worsen after surgery resulting in a condition called failed back surgery syndrome. This complication may arise from post surgical scarring, spinal instability, and increased stress on adjacent discs. It is very common to require another surgery in later years.
A new approach to the treatment of sciatica now exists that is safe, effective and treats the cause of the problem not just the symptoms. It's called Spinal Decompression and brings with it a patented technology that allows a negative pressure to be created inside the disc space through a gentle distraction on the spine. This technology bypasses the typical guarding reflex of the spinal muscles and produces these negative gradients drawing in bulging and herniated material as well as fluid and nutrition so the disc can heal. It's effective in over 80% of patients and has no risky side effects. While some will say it looks like traction the computer system makes it highly sophisticated and beyond the realm of traditional traction devices.
As more studies are done on this technology a consistently high success rate is achieved. The long term benefits are also very promising because as I stated previously the treatment is aimed at healing the disc and removing the pressure and irritation from the nerve, not just masking it. While spinal decompression is not right for everyone with sciatica, it certainly represents a true breakthrough and a safe long term option for this condition. - 15437
About the Author:
Dr. Randall Pruitt is a board certified chiropractic neurologist. He was a pioneer in the use of Spinal Decompression In Phoenix Arizona. He utilizes the DRX9000 in his practice to achieve results for the treatment of Sciatica In Phoenix
