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Sciatica veterinary. Sciatic neuralgia (sciatica): causes and treatment of the disease. Video - Treatment of sciatica at home

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Neuritis, neuralgia cause a lot of trouble: numbness, stabbing, cutting pain, backache. Inflammation of the sciatic nerve, the symptoms and treatment of which were previously stated in people 40-60 years old, is rapidly getting younger. A sedentary lifestyle, lack of physical activity, unhealthy diet become prerequisites for the development of sciatica. Treatment of inflammation of the sciatic nerve is a long process, which largely depends on the correct diagnosis and determination of the causes of the pain attack.

Causes of the disease

Inflammation of the sciatic nerve, otherwise sciatica, is a pain syndrome that occurs in the lumbar region, radiates throughout the leg. The well-known sciatica is one of the manifestations of sciatica. The sciatic nerve is the largest in the human body, very sensitive due to the presence of special fibers. It starts in the lumbosacral region, passes along the surface of the buttocks, the femoral part, and in the lower leg it diverges into smaller processes to the fingertips.

Infringement or inflammation of the sciatic nerve is caused by compression of the roots of the nerve endings. Becomes a consequence of a number of reasons:

Intervertebral hernia. As a result of the rupture of the fibrous ring, which protects the nucleus pulposus - the shock absorber of the spine during movement - the latter cease to function normally, and displacement occurs. When a vertebra protrudes, as in the photo above, the nerve endings of the sciatic nerve are compressed, inflammation occurs. The danger lies in the fact that the pain factor against the background of a hernia is a signal of the neglect of the disease, which in some cases may require surgical intervention.
Osteophytes of bones - arthrosis and chondrosis. These are growths that form at the junction of bones (vertebrae). They pinch the roots of the sciatic nerve, causing inflammation.

Displacement of the vertebrae relative to each other (spondylolisthesis). It is often the result of spinal injuries or congenital defects.
Past infectious diseases, often untreated to the end.
Poisoning, intoxication. There are two types:
- internal - under the influence diabetes;
- external - when OM enters the body with food, drinks.

Tumors.
Hypothermia.
Inflammation of the piriformis muscle.
Pregnancy. The shift in the center of gravity when carrying a child often causes pain in the lumbosacral region.
Stress, anxiety, depression.

Main symptoms

The variety of causes of inflammation of the sciatic nerve determines the difference in the symptoms of the disease. The main common symptom is pain, and symptoms such as fever, weakness, give a hint about an infectious or viral cause of sciatica exacerbation. In chronic osteoarthritis, destruction of the articular capsule, displacement of discs, intervertebral hernia, acute relapses are characteristic with pronounced shooting pain, which gradually descends along the leg to the knee, and then to the foot.

Constant aching, burning pain at rest at the initial stage of the disease subsides. If treatment is not started in a timely manner, the inflammatory process will not disappear anywhere: the symptoms may weaken a little, moving down the leg. Numbness of the extremities, tingling, while the absence of pain in the lower back are symptoms of advanced sciatica, the untimely treatment of which sometimes leads to the need for surgical intervention.

What to do and how to treat inflammation of the sciatic nerve

Pronounced symptoms or the first harbingers of the disease are a reason to consult a specialist. It is necessary to make an accurate diagnosis, because the features of treatment will depend on the identified causes of inflammation of the sciatic nerve. X-ray or computed tomography, MRI or electroneuromyography will help to determine exactly what caused sciatica.

At the same time, the neurologist examines the degree of damage to the sciatic nerve, conducting special tests for motor reflexes:

achilles tendon,
knee joint,
checks for the presence of Lassen's symptoms (pain on the back of the thigh and lower leg when lifting up and forward a straight leg on its own), Bonnet (the same procedure, only the doctor lifts the leg).

Comparing the symptoms, finding out the cause of the disease, the degree of damage to the nerve endings and the neglect of inflammation, the specialist prescribes a comprehensive treatment, which includes:

Medical treatment.
Appointment of a complex of physical exercises, massages and special therapy.
Physiotherapy and radiology (in rare cases).
Homeopathic treatment. Special homeopathic ointments, creams will help relieve the pain symptom, reduce inflammation of the sciatic nerve.
Folk remedies.

Medical treatment

How to treat inflammation of the sciatic nerve? The first aid for a sharp exacerbation of sciatica will be painkillers:

analgin;
derivatives with a pronounced direction of action:
- tempalgin - the symptoms of pain subside as a result of the action of tempidine - a mild tranquilizer;
- sedalgin - codeine and paracetamol have an invigorating effect on nervous system, removing inflammation of the nerve roots;
- baralgin - antispasmodics in the composition remove muscle inflammation, relieving spasm of the sciatic nerve;
- pentalgin.

Mandatory in the treatment of infringement of the sciatic nerve will be non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) - tablets, injections for severe pain, ointments:

Diclofenac (tablets) - anesthetizes and relieves inflammation, pain, swelling. Injections for inflammation of the sciatic nerve of this drug are more effective, but the degree of influence increases side effects on the liver and kidneys. Therefore, intramuscularly, intravenously, they are prescribed by a doctor with a minimum interval of 12 hours.
Movalis is a very powerful drug that quickly removes pain symptoms. Promptly reduces inflammation of the sciatic nerve. The presence of significant side effects causes taking pills under the supervision of a doctor for no more than 5 days.
Ibuprofen, nise, nurofen - NSAIDs with a less pronounced effect. They are good because they affect the peripheral nervous system, relieving inflammation, and the muscles - relaxing and removing spasms.
Corticosteroids - are prescribed for prolonged pain symptoms that do not let go. These are hormonal agents that relieve swelling, inflammation of the sciatic nerve.

For pregnant women, the doctor will recommend a special treatment for inflammation of the sciatic nerve. Taking most medications during this period negatively affects the health of the expectant mother and child, so it is strictly forbidden to use medications without consulting a doctor. The most gentle medicine will be painkillers - candles. Homeopathy will also become one of the possible and safe treatment options.

Physical exercises

The acute period of inflammation of the sciatic nerve in most cases lasts from 5 to 10 days. At this time, it is necessary to ensure a decrease in physical activity and rest for the lumbosacral region, in other words, it is more in a horizontal position, preferably on a solid orthopedic surface. The subsidence of symptoms is not a reason to increase sports activities.

The neuropathologist determines the time when it is possible to start treating chronic sciatica with therapeutic exercises and physical exercises. Based on the identified causes of inflammation of the sciatic nerve, the symptoms of manifestation, the physiotherapist develops a special program. For pregnant women, it is compiled by a medical commission, which necessarily includes a gynecologist, therapist, physiotherapist. Useful will be yoga, Pilates, swimming.

Massage and reflexology

The use of massage as a treatment method acute symptoms inflammation of the sciatic nerve is very gentle: stroking and light rubbing. When the pain subsides, you can apply more intense techniques - kneading and patting. Will be a good help essential oils and warming ointments. The result will be an improvement in blood flow to the pinched nerve endings, the removal of stiffness, muscle spasms, stimulation of the production of endorphins, and a decrease in swelling.

Methods of reflexology - acupuncture, manual acupressure - remove the pain symptoms of inflammation of the sciatic nerve. Long-term treatment with needles (up to 3 months) can not only remove the manifestation of the disease, but also cope for a long time with the causes of its exacerbation. Oncology, skin lesions, pregnancy are contraindications to the use of this type of therapy.

Blockade

In some cases, the manifestation of symptoms of sciatica, when NSAIDs and analgesics do not work, the doctor prescribes novocaine blockade. This drug blocks the nerve impulses of the sciatic nerve, removing the symptoms of inflammation. Nervous behavior (excitation or apathy), inability to move, sensation of pain both standing and lying down are grounds for prescribing a blockade with anesthetics.

How to relieve inflammation folk remedies

Warming ointments will help relieve inflammation of the sciatic nerve at home. Turpentine, camphor ointment, beeswax - perfectly warm the inflamed area, improve blood flow to the nerve endings, remove the spasm. Tincture on red pepper and vodka, used as a compress, improves the conductivity of the sciatic nerve and promotes the production of hormones - endorphins. Herbal infusions of calendula, horsetail, thyme and viburnum (2 tablespoons each) per half liter of water must be boiled and taken in a cooled form daily 3 times a day, 100 ml before meals.

Prevention of pinching or inflammation of the nerve

Strong back muscles are the key to the health of the sciatic nerve and the ability to avoid relapses of the disease. Therapeutic gymnastics and moderate physical exercise, yoga classes, Pilates will become effective tool sciatica warnings. A straight back and a slender posture when moving, in a sitting position during the day are the basis of a healthy spine and the absence of inflammation of the nerve processes.

At the first symptoms, a previous attack, women need to abandon their heels. Swimming on your back, aqua aerobics treatment will strengthen your back muscles. Hypothermia is another friend of radiculitis, arthrosis and inflammation of the sciatic nerve. Warm clothes according to the weather, a closed lower back and warm legs are important conditions for the prevention of sciatica.

Which doctor to contact for the diagnosis of sciatica

A neurologist or neuropathologist will help to determine the symptoms of inflammation of the sciatic nerve, diagnose and find out the cause of the disease. When prescribing treatment, you may need a consultation:

gynecologist - if the patient is pregnant;
surgeon, orthopedist - when the question arises about surgical intervention;
physiotherapist - when prescribing physiotherapy.

Video

Special gymnastics will help relieve tension in the lumbar spine, reduce the load on the sciatic nerve. As a prevention of sciatica, individual yoga exercises unblock the pinched nerve endings, strengthen the muscles of the back, buttocks, and legs. To perform, you will need a gymnastic mat and a desire to put your health in order. Most of the elements of gymnastics are performed lying on your back or in the “cat” position. Watch our video and repeat the set of movements after the instructor. Within a week, you will notice the absence of discomfort in the lumbar region.

Sciatica disease, the symptoms and treatment of which is determined by the doctor after differential diagnosis, is a pathology of a neurological nature. The sciatic nerve is affected, and pain symptoms occur. Its localization depends on the area of inflammation. Sciatica, what it is and how to get rid of it, will be discussed further. How long the disease is treated depends on the stage of its course.

The disease often proceeds with the presence of pronounced symptoms. What is sciatica is interesting to many people who are faced with a similar diagnosis. This pathology develops in one of the departments of the sciatic nerve. A characteristic inflammatory process appears.

Sciatica occurs due to a number of provoking factors. Pathology can occur at almost any age. The causes of sciatica can be different. It is not an independent disease, but often becomes a consequence of other pathologies.

Sciatica, the causes of which may lie in degenerative processes in the spine, is manifested by pain sensations of varying intensity. Main factors:

osteochondrosis;
intervertebral hernia;
tumors;
pinching;
trauma;
curvature of the spine.

Secondary factors of such symptoms may be inflammatory diseases of the uterus and appendages. Sciatica during pregnancy often occurs with significant pressure on the spine, which develops due to an increase in the weight of the fetus.

Neuralgia of the sciatic nerve can appear as a result of persistent tension in the lumbar region. This occurs for various reasons. One of them is prolonged physical activity, the basis of which falls on the region of the sacrum. Lifting weights can also trigger a similar syndrome. Everything is explained by the special vulnerability of the lumbosacral zone.

The fact is that, unlike the chest region, which is also protected by the rib cage, the lower back experiences the greatest load, while it does not have any support from other joints.

Neuralgia of the sciatic nerve presents no difficulty in diagnosis. It is very easy to determine, and this manipulation is not difficult for an experienced specialist.

Symptoms of the disease

Sciatica has different symptoms, the main of which are pain in the sciatic nerve. Discomfort originates from the lumbar region. Then it smoothly moves to the gluteal zone, from there - to the thigh, calf and foot. Sciatica of the sciatic nerve is accompanied by burning, stabbing and shooting pain, which can last for a long time.

Factors that can trigger an exacerbation of symptoms are the following:

hypothermia;
excessive physical activity on the lower back;
abrupt awkward movements;
stretching;
psycho-emotional shocks;
constipation.

With sciatica, pain can spread to the entire leg or be present only in a certain area. Many are interested in how long an attack usually lasts. It all depends on the start of treatment and the stage of the underlying disease.

The attending physician also determines the signs of sciatica by the resulting numbness in the lower extremities. Discomfort often occurs with various movements legs, knee flexion. There is a feeling of tension, the duration of which depends on the time spent in an uncomfortable position.

Sciatica cannot go away on its own. A long pathological process often provokes the occurrence of lameness. The symptoms of sciatica are complemented by some atrophy of the muscles of the causative limb. Timely access to a doctor is very important in this pathological process. The sooner it is done, the better the treatment prognosis will be.

If you pass with this syndrome for a sufficient amount of time and start the pathology, then extremely unpleasant symptoms arise in the form of urinary and fecal incontinence. Quite often, such a disease affects any one limb. Although there are cases of bilateral lesions that bring terrible discomfort.

The presence of such a disease provides for the following types of diagnosis:

questioning the patient;
x-ray of the spine;
Magnetic resonance imaging.

As a rule, it is possible to identify the disease already from the words of the patient. In this case, a simple test is carried out, which consists in tilting the body to straight legs. If such manipulation is given to the patient with difficulty and causes significant pain, then the diagnosis can be established. Additional research methods are used to identify the cause of the disease that caused such symptoms.

Often, pain in the leg is accompanied by similar sensations in the spine, especially in the lumbar region.

Therapeutic measures

Treatment of neuralgia of the sciatic nerve consists of a set of measures that allow you to:

eliminate pain;
release pinched nerve endings;
remove the inflammatory process;
improve motor activity;
strengthen weakened muscles.

How to cure sciatica, only a doctor will tell. The main methods of therapeutic influence:

Medical treatment. Designed to relieve pain, improve motor activity spine and elimination of degenerative processes. For treatment, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are often used: Diclofenac, Ibuprofen, Indomethacin. Such funds contribute to the removal of edema and pain. Often use Novocaine and Lidocaine for local blockade. Treatment of sciatica to improve the condition of nerve fibers and metabolism in them involves the intake of vitamin complexes.
Physiotherapy and massage. Treatment of sciatica involves various types of stimulation: UHF, phonophoresis, paraffin therapy. These procedures allow you to relieve inflammation, gently affecting the nerve fibers. Physiotherapy and massage are contraindicated during pregnancy, increased blood pressure, tuberculosis and malignant tumors.
Physiotherapy. Treatment of sciatica involves the implementation of a set of physical exercises that help relieve pain, strengthen muscles and improve the mobility of the causative leg. With regular repetition of the complex, improvement occurs quite quickly.

Many are wondering how to treat sciatica if osteochondrosis has become the cause. The answer is clear. First of all, you need to consult a doctor who will prescribe manual therapy, as well as chondoprotectors that can stop the destructive process in the intervertebral discs.

Sciatica treatment is complex. Acupuncture is often used, which stimulates metabolic processes in nerve fibers and relieves pain.

Most people are interested in how to quickly cure the disease and whether it is possible. Unfortunately, the protracted pathological process is eliminated for several months, or even longer. In the initial stages, things are much easier.

Which doctor should I contact when the first signs appear? It is advisable to visit several specialists at once: a surgeon and a neurologist.

What is sciatica, how is it related to the patient's neuralgic condition, why does it make life difficult for people who are sensitive to hypothermia, how to get rid of it? This question is asked by patients who have not been spared this disease. Let's try to figure out why this pathology is terrible, how to protect yourself from it and why the treatment of sciatica is not always effective.

Neuralgic sciatica disease is a disease of the sciatic nerve, accompanied by aching pains, which, in the presence of inflammation, radiate to the lower back, thigh of the leg. At the moment of “lumbago”, a person feels discomfort, it is difficult for him to stand on his foot, to walk. The gait looks like a "hunched old man." Signs of sciatica are easy to recognize by limping, hunched posture, leg pulling.

Everyone suffers from back pain from time to time. According to the adherents of Ayurveda, human thoughts are the cause of any problems in the body. The sources of energy are located at the base of the spinal column. And all diseases of the back are a reaction to the blocking of energy channels.

The reasons for the clamping of energy centers are:

sexual problems (sexual orientation, puritanism);
deceit;
abuse of drugs, alcohol, smoking;
psychological trauma of undeveloped relationships between a man and a woman.

According to statistics, a third of the population suffers from some form of sciatica. Moreover, the age category of patients is different: young people aged 28–36 years, pensioners, men working in hazardous conditions. Sciatica also occurs during pregnancy, during breastfeeding, in women for three to five years after the first birth.

For successful treatment, it is not enough to reconsider your behavior, change your daily habits. First of all, therapy involves an integrated approach to one's psychological health, then to physical health. Sciatic neuralgia is often based on resentment, unwillingness to listen to your body. If you learn to live in harmony with the body, the causes of sciatica will go away as unexpectedly as they came.

The most common symptoms of sciatica are:

pulling "lumbago" in the area of the thigh, lower leg;
pain in the right buttock, lower back;
infringement of the sciatic nerve with sharp bends, turns, raising the legs;
loss of sensation in the right leg;
discomfort in a lying, standing position, during squats.

When “lumbago” spontaneously occurs, a person cannot eliminate them on his own, because he feels severe pain. Rubbing, massage do not bring relief. Bending of the legs and lower back is difficult, the right thigh goes numb, tingling is felt in the lower back and lower leg. With sciatica, one-sided pain is noted, rarely the disease affects both legs.

Bruises, hypothermia, clumsy movements injure the muscles, resulting in spasms, swelling, blood stasis. The brain receives an impulse about pain, an increase in blood pressure is observed, however, the muscles squeeze the vessels so much that it is not possible to avoid circulatory disorders. An inflammatory process develops. Information about muscle damage enters the brain from the area responsible for the site of inflammation, as a result of which, due to increased muscle inflammation, edema is observed in patients. Trying not to change the position, a person strives to reduce the number of movements, but such an action leads to a different effect - blood stagnation and the transition of the disease to the chronic stage.

The most common symptoms

The main symptom of pathology in sciatica is pain. Other signs of the disease do not make themselves felt for a long time or are completely absent. When a person is first diagnosed with sciatica against the background of the cause of damage to muscle tone, the spasm lasts from 2 to 5 minutes, then the duration of the spasms increases and in critical situations can take up to 8-10 minutes.

Important diagnostic criteria for sciatica are:

The intensity of pain sensations (pain can occur spontaneously and be pronounced, or it can be mild, short in time, without causing discomfort to the body). Severe pain makes every movement so unbearable that it is difficult for a person to stay in one position. Down to the sciatic nerve, the pain changes intensity. Patients may feel conditions as if the skin is numb, tingling, or goosebumps run through it. In addition, pain can occur with minimal physical activity.
Character pain threshold(sensations can be very different: from sharp burning to intense with “shoots”).
Impact on other organs (most often, pain spreads to the lower back, popliteal fossa, buttocks, less often occurs along the entire length of the leg, from the fingers to the collarbone. Painful spasms may radiate to the lower back, or may be completely absent.
Symmetry (discomfort, as a rule, is one-sided. Pain is felt either on the left or on the right side. Only in cases of an advanced form, the disease acquires irreversible consequences, which are accompanied by severe pain on both sides simultaneously, accompanied by “backaches”.
Frequency (depending on the form and stage of the course of the disease, the pain is constant, with attacks, of a chronic nature).

Classification of disorders in sciatica

Dysfunction of coordination of movements, inhibition or lack of reflexes, loss of sensitivity are the main conditions that can occur with a pathology such as the treatment of sciatic nerve neuralgia.

Sciatica has a negative effect on the nervous system (patients are characterized by neurostenosis, muscle atrophy, problems with sensitivity, limitation of movements, changes in muscle tone, neuralgia).

The most dangerous diseases that sciatica can subsequently lead to are:

damage to the bones of the lower extremities;
hyperthyroidism;
malfunctions of the autonomic function;
fragility of the nail plate;
dry skin;
skin color distortion.

Since sciatica is accompanied by compression of the sciatic nerve in the direction of the nerve fiber, patients show symptoms in the form of neurological pathologies, nagging pain in the lower back, and tissue malnutrition.

Less common is the progression of sciatica without pain. In such cases, there is a pronounced symptomatology of the disease, which manifests itself in:

pain radiating to the fingers;
the occurrence of paralysis of the lower extremities;
Achilles prolapse;
numbness of the lower leg;
lack of sole reflexes.

Similar symptoms indicate a violation of the function of the blood supply to the radicular arteries in the first sacral segment, as a result of which such a type of sciatica as paralytic occurs. This is explained by concomitant radicular inflammation of the fifth lumbar segment, which "slows down" motor processes, weakening the function of the pelvic apparatus and leads to immobility of the limbs (complete paralysis).

Characteristics of pain in sciatica

Often it is unbearable pain that is the only sign of an insidious disease. This sign is characterized by sharp "shoots" of long-term intensity, reminiscent of sharp knife wounds. Localization occurs along the nerve, affecting the back of the thigh, right buttock, popliteal cup, back of the leg.

Attacks of pain can be intermittent or constant. The strength and duration of pain depends on the form of the disease, the age of the person, the dynamics of the course of the disease. At the initial stage, sciatic nerve neuralgia is accompanied by mild bouts of pain, so the person does not take this symptom seriously, thus ignoring the disease. Further development sciatica is of a pronounced painful nature, intense pain exhausts a person, disrupting his mental state, because the patient tries to find any way to eliminate discomfort.

Sciatica disease can be provoked by uncomfortable postures when moving, lifting heavy things, and ordinary hypothermia. Prolonged spasm in sciatica makes it difficult for the patient to move, each step is difficult for him, minor changes in body position are fraught with sharp pain in the lower back, thigh.

Symptoms against the background of neuralgia

Neuralgic disorders are dangerous due to incorrect conduction of reflexes from the base of the spine to the affected leg. Symptoms of neuralgia do not depend on the duration of the disease, however, they are expressed in different ways, for example, patients may:

decrease in the Achilles reflex (the severity of the function of flexion of the foot decreases or completely disappears in response to a shock reaction with a hammer on the Achilles tendon);
no response to the plantar reflex;
intense tingling pain in the buttock occurs (usually observed when a person tries to cross one leg or put a limb bent at the knee joint on inner part shins of the second leg);
weaken the knee jerk.

As soon as a person is faced with such a disease as sciatica, immediate treatment should be the main goal on the road to recovery. Otherwise, complications of the disease can cause disability. It is advisable to consult a doctor at the first ailments, the pain is still weak, and the reaction to impulses is within the normal range. This guarantees the effectiveness of the therapy.

What is the danger of lack of coordination

Infringement of the sciatic nerve is fraught with a decrease in the function of sensitivity, incorrect passage of impulses from the affected nerve. Such violations are accompanied by such symptoms:

numbness of the foot, right thigh, right shin;
tingling in the lumbar region, reminiscent of "goose bumps");
curvature of body position.
incorrect bending of the ankle, knee joints;
atrophy of the muscles of the back of the leg, thigh.

Outwardly, a person has a visual decrease in the size and volume of the leg. Complete muscle atrophy can develop into paralysis only in the case of a serious condition of the patient, when sciatica gives complications to the spine.

As a rule, complete paralysis entails immobility of the leg in the thigh area. Sometimes it also happens that the patient, even with the slightest physical exertion, does not feel the leg in the foot, lower spine, or lower leg.

In severe forms of sciatica, accompanied by muscle atrophy, prolonged paralysis, there may be violations of reflex function, problems with defecation, destruction of the bone tissue of the hip, ankle joints, urinary retention.

When a person is affected by a disease such as sciatica, the main symptoms and treatment are complicated. The disease develops quickly enough, as a result of which the symptoms appear in various combinations. At the same time, the manifestation of sciatica is noted differently in different patients. The exception is pain in the area of one limb. Despite the different symptoms, most patients have similar symptoms, the main sign of which is localization in a particular area.

Medication treatment

After diagnosing the disease, the question arises of how to treat sciatica so that the therapy gives the maximum result in restoring motor functions. Most often, patients try to relieve pain on their own, resorting to physical exercises, rubbing, and the use of Aspirin. Sometimes such procedures are enough to return to normal life, but in most cases, the pain becomes more active after a couple of days, and you can’t do without a doctor. A preventive visit to a specialist should take place at least 2 times a year, regardless of whether the person has complaints or not.

Medical treatment is the most affordable way. The patient goes to the pharmacy, buys drugs, takes them until the symptoms disappear. The first-aid kit of people with sciatica is overflowing with anesthetic ointments, gels, injections, and creams. In it you can find restorative vitamins and medicines designed for unexpected attacks.

Among the drug treatments, the most practical and effective are:

drugs for pain relief (Diclofenac, Amidopyrine, Tryptophan, Acecardol are sold without a prescription, relieve pain, inflammation, discomfort);
chondroprotective drugs (their action is aimed at restoring cartilage tissue, Arthro-Active, Teraflex, Advance, Chondroxide, Rumanol quickly eliminate the symptoms of sciatica, are quickly absorbed, usually not addictive);
muscle relaxants (Diplacin, Mydocalm, Flexin are designed to eliminate spasms, normalize muscle tone, have a number of contraindications, their components contribute to addiction, dependence);
nootropics (neurometabolic stimulating drugs) - Nootropil, Phezam, Pantogam affect the patient's psyche, eliminating the psychological problems that caused sciatica; in this case, the treatment has a side effect, constant use is addictive).

Do not forget that frequent use medicines causes addiction and side effects. Treatment of sciatica should last exactly as long as the course of therapy is prescribed by the attending physician.

Medicines quickly eliminate pain, improve the condition of the joints, relieve stress, and normalize blood circulation. But besides this, they have a number of side effects, as a result of which patients become dependent on them. The disadvantage of medications is their inefficiency, tk. they do not eliminate the causes of the disease. With sciatica, it is quite possible to do without pills. This will require complex long-term therapy. How long does it take to relieve pain? With strict adherence to the doctor's prescriptions, recovery can follow quickly. On average, medical treatment of sciatica is 2-4 months, taking into account the characteristics human body and the severity of the disease.
Do not self-medicate, as this can harm the state of health, aggravating the process of sciatica. The right decision is to seek advice from a doctor who will diagnose, identify the problem and prescribe the appropriate treatment.

Ointments, tablets, creams are effective only at the initial stage of the disease. It is advisable to start therapy with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as Ketanov, Naproxen-Akri, Dynastat, Celebrex.

Non-steroidal drugs should be taken with caution, because. their improper use is fraught with exacerbation of ulcers, duodenal ulcers, gastritis. Do not neglect the advice of a doctor before using such funds. Severe pain in sciatica can be eliminated with painkillers such as Tramadol, Methadone, Ibuprofen, Fentanyl.

Also, in the treatment of sciatica, phytotherapeutic agents can be used, for example, based on bee venom, turpentine, bitter pepper, camphor. They normalize blood circulation, relieve inflammation, dull pain. The active ingredients that make up their composition contribute to irritation of the skin receptors, as a result of which the pain disappears. In the future, as a preventive measure, it is recommended to undergo a course of physiotherapy.

Alternative therapy

Modern medical institutions practice the simultaneous use of conventional and alternative medicine procedures for sciatica. Effectively help in the treatment of sciatica:

acupuncture (aimed at relieving muscle fatigue, normalizing blood flow, eliminating spasms; it is prescribed strictly individually by the attending physician, has prone reviews from patients who, after undergoing a course of rehabilitation, managed to eliminate symptoms, restore movement activity);
kinesiotherapy (the task of this technique is to activate movements through constant muscle training; exercises are performed according to a special system with a daily increase in load);
manual therapy (performed to relax spasmodic muscles, eliminate pain, muscle strain; involves a gentle effect of the manual operator on the active points responsible for blocking a certain muscle group; has positive results in eliminating the symptoms of sciatica).

Activity is an important part of life. Even minimal physical activity involves the work of the muscles of the lower back, ensuring the pumping of blood to the necessary organs, the supply of oxygen to the cells. Toddlers are very active, they do not sit still for a minute, making thousands of muscle contractions per day. Older people who are not involved in sports find it difficult not only to run, but even to move around. Their muscles are atrophied, their light gait resembles “dragging” with their feet.

It is quite possible to cure sciatica if you take care of your health, seek help from your doctor in a timely manner, follow the recommendations of specialists, and undergo periodic rehabilitation. Age is an indicator that cannot be adjusted, however, constant movement is a factor that repeatedly slows down the aging process of the body. Do not give up fortifying vitamins, stick to a diet, lead healthy lifestyle life. Movement in the background general recommendations doctors are able not only to relieve patients of the symptoms of the disease, but also to completely cure the disease.

Acute shooting, burning or pulling pains in the lower extremities, their numbness or loss of motor functions - these symptoms are familiar to many of those over 40. Very often the cause of the condition is inflammation of the sciatic nerve (sciatica). What is this disease, and how should it be treated?

Description of the disease

The sciatic nerves are the thickest and longest in the entire body. They come out of the spinal cord and go down to the lower legs. In the area of the knee, the sciatic nerve is divided into two parts, one of which is responsible for the innervation of the lower leg, the other for the innervation of the foot. The sciatic nerves also provide innervation to the pelvic organs. They are responsible for both sensitivity and motor functions of the leg muscles.

If the disease affects these nerves, then it begins to manifest itself with various symptoms - pain, swelling, loss of sensation in the legs.

The disease mainly affects the elderly and middle-aged people. It is believed that 10% of people over 40 years of age suffer from it. However, in recent times the disease has greatly improved. Now it is not uncommon to meet 20-30 year old people, and even teenagers, suffering from pain caused by sciatica.

Symptoms

The main symptom of the disease is pain. In the first phase of inflammation of the sciatic nerve, pain is usually felt in the lumbar region. In the future, the pain syndrome can spread down the leg - to the back of the thigh, lower leg, foot and fingers.

Pain with nerve damage can be of a diverse nature - it can be aching, burning, stabbing, shooting, sharp or dull. Sometimes it spills over the entire surface of the leg, and sometimes it can be observed only in its separate part. From time to time, the pain may go away, but after a short period of time it will return again. Usually the pain affects only one leg, but in many cases it can be observed in both legs. It is noticed that in women the right leg most often suffers, and in men - the left.

The difference in the nature of the pain can often be explained by which layers of the nerves are affected by inflammation - external or internal. In the first case, the pain is called dysesthesia, in the second - truncal. Dysesthesia pain occurs due to inflammation of small nerve fibers. It is described by patients as shooting and raw, stabbing and burning, resembling a blow. electric current.

The truncal type of pain occurs as a result of compression of the spinal roots (for example, due to osteochondrosis), with some neuropathies. This type of pain is pressing, pulling, aching and breaking.

In addition to pain, there are a number of other signs of inflammation of the sciatic nerve. This is numbness of the legs, burning, goosebumps. Sometimes there are a set of such signs of inflammation as swelling of the legs, excessive sweating of the feet or, conversely, lack of sweating, redness of the skin. A symptom such as an increase in body temperature at the site of the lesion is possible, or, conversely, its cyanosis and cooling.

Complications of sciatica

If the treatment of the pathology was carried out incorrectly or was not carried out at all, then this can lead to various complications. The result of inflammation may be stiffness in walking, impaired gait, the impossibility of some movements of the toes or foot. For example, often patients with sciatica are unable to stand on their toes or heels. In severe cases of inflammation, the patient loses the ability to stand up, walk or sit. Acute pain syndrome can lead to neurosis, stress, fainting, insomnia. Atrophy of some leg muscles is also possible. If the nerve processes that ensure the functionality of the pelvic organs are damaged, then urination and defecation disorders may be observed.

Causes of the disease

Treatment of the disease is carried out in such a way as to eliminate its causes or minimize their effect on the nerve. There are several varieties of immediate prerequisites for the disease:

inflammatory process in the nerve fiber;
infringement of the roots of the sciatic nerve in the spinal column;
pinching of the sciatic nerve with muscle spasm, especially spasm of the piriformis or gluteus maximus muscle.

The nature of the pain in these types of sciatica is usually somewhat different.

What kind additional factors may be responsible for pinching the sciatic nerve or for inflammatory pathology of the sciatic nerve:

hypothermia or overheating of the body;
stress;
diseases of the spine, leading to inflammation or pinching of the nerves (osteochondrosis, herniated discs, arthritis, bone growths around the spine, displacement of the vertebral discs);
spinal injury;
infectious diseases (influenza, acute respiratory infections, herpes zoster, tuberculosis);
weight lifting;
sedentary work, sedentary lifestyle;
alcoholism;
heavy metal poisoning;
gout;
diabetes;
pregnancy.

In many cases, inflammation is caused by a combination of several factors.

There is an increased risk of sciatic nerve disease in certain occupations, such as farmers, drivers, machine operators, those who do not have a comfortable workplace, and smokers.

The disease can develop either instantly (in case of injuries) or gradually progress (with constant hard work, aggravation of concomitant diseases, such as osteochondrosis, arthritis, the development of an infectious process).

Pinching of the sciatic nerve

Pinching of the sciatic nerve is one of the varieties of sciatica, which is sometimes separated from the actual inflammation of the nerve fiber. This phenomenon can occur in the case of spasms of the muscles between which the nerve passes, which leads to its pinching. Or the cause of the phenomenon may be pinching of the nerve roots in the spinal column. Sciatica is usually caused by a pinched nerve.

Diagnosis of sciatica

The patient can live for a long time with mild sciatica symptoms, slight pain in the legs or lower back, and not see a doctor. This position can be understood, because, on the one hand, the disease does not seem to be life-threatening, although it causes a lot of trouble. However, the treatment of the disease is necessary, because with progression it can lead to disability. Also, sudden bouts of pain may be indicative of a more serious problem than just a pinched nerve. Similar signs can be observed, for example, with spinal injuries, the presence of neoplasms.

When making a diagnosis (sciatica), pain syndrome caused by tumors of the spine, multiple myeloma, Bechterew's disease, spondylitis should be separated from this disease.

If you have symptoms resembling sciatica, you should contact a neurologist.

Examination of the patient begins with the collection of information about the symptoms, the nature of the pain, history. Sciatica is characterized by the presence of several defining diagnostic syndromes:

Legas Syndrome,
sicard syndrome,
landing syndrome.

Sicard's syndrome is that it is difficult for the patient to bend the foot in the back direction due to increased pain in the leg. With Legas syndrome, it is difficult for the patient to raise the leg in the supine position. The landing syndrome consists in the fact that it is difficult for the patient to sit down with an extended leg.

The most commonly used diagnostic procedures for sciatica are ultrasound, MRI, CT, x-rays. With their help, the degree of pinching of the roots or the spread of the inflammatory process is determined. The safest procedure is ultrasound, since during it there is no irradiation of the body. However, for more information, a CT scan may be necessary. Which procedure to choose - this question is in the competence of the attending physician.

How to treat inflammation of the sciatic nerve

Treatment may include both pharmacological and non-pharmacological methods. The method of treatment depends on how far the disease has gone, what is its initial cause - whether it is due to pinching of the nerve fiber or its inflammation. not excluded and surgical methods treatment of nerve pathology. They are carried out in the event that conservative methods of treatment have not led to success.

Non-drug therapies include:

physiotherapy,
massage,
physiotherapy,
gym workouts,
hydrotherapy.

manual therapy,
can massage,
acupressure,
acupuncture (reflexology),
ozone therapy,
hirudotherapy (treatment with leeches),
mud treatment.

How to treat inflammation of the sciatic nerve: drug treatment

Nevertheless, the treatment of sciatica with medical methods remains the main one.

The main groups of drugs used in the medical treatment of sciatica.

Type of	Impact principle	Examples of drugs
vitamins and vitamin complexes	improving the functioning of the nervous system	combilipen, milgamma, B vitamins
muscle relaxants and antispasmodics	relieve muscle spasms	corisoprodol, midocalm, drotaverine, papaverine
glucocorticosteroids		dexamethasone, prednisolone
non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)	anti-inflammatory processes, pain relief	ibuprofen, indomethacin, diclofenac, phenylbutazone, lornoxicam, orthophene, naproxen
analgesics	pain relief	ketorolac, paracetamol, morphine, tramadol

It should be noted that, although glucocorticosteroids are used for the same purpose as NSAIDs, the method of their use differs significantly from that of the latter. Symptomatic treatment with steroid drugs can be carried out only under the supervision of a physician. The same can be said about narcotic drugs for pain relief (morphine, tramadol).

In some cases, the patient may be prescribed drugs from different categories.

The most commonly used local forms of drugs - in the form of creams and ointments. In the acute form of the disease, with severe pain, some painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs, as well as vitamin complexes, can be administered parenterally.

If there is a need to use tablet forms of drugs, then it is best to consult a doctor before using them. After all, many NSAIDs are known for their side effects. In particular, they can adversely affect the gastrointestinal tract, cause ulcers and bleeding, especially with prolonged use. Therefore, NSAIDs are usually taken only during the acute phase of the disease, when it is necessary to effectively deal with pain. The maximum duration of their administration varies from 5 to 14 days, depending on the drug.

Often, folk remedies are also used for sciatica - herbal tinctures (celandine, bitter pepper, aloe), honey, beeswax, horse chestnut ointments. They perfectly relieve pain and inflammation. However, treatment in this way is possible only if the diagnosis is accurately established by the doctor. Baths with medicinal extracts, for example, coniferous, are also beneficial in case of illness.

Diet for sciatic nerve disease

The diet for sciatica should be organized in such a way that there would be no overload of the gastrointestinal tract. It is best to eat 5-6 times a day, but little by little. The diet must necessarily include fiber, magnesium, calcium, iron, vitamins A, C, E.

calcium in in large numbers found in fish and seafood, dairy products, liver nuts. Magnesium can be found in legumes, pistachios, and avocados. From the diet should be removed salty, spicy and fatty foods, light carbohydrates that contribute to the rapid weight gain.

Physiotherapy

The method of physiotherapy demonstrated high efficiency in sciatica. It consists in influencing the affected nerve or muscle tissue with the help of various physical factors - electric current of various frequencies, ultrasound, magnetic field, laser and ultraviolet radiation. Physiotherapy improves blood circulation in the affected area, relieves swelling and pain. With the help of one of the varieties of physiotherapy - electrophoresis, various drugs can be introduced into the body - antispasmodics, muscle relaxants, anti-inflammatory drugs. Physiotherapy can be carried out both during the period of exacerbation and during the period of remission of the disease. The necessary procedure is prescribed by a doctor.

Physiotherapy

During the period of exacerbation of the disease, physical exercises are contraindicated - they can only aggravate the patient's condition, increase pain. However, during the period of remission, that is, when the pain subsides, many exercises will be useful. Especially if sciatica is caused by problems with the muscles or the spine. For example, these are rotational movements of the pelvis, riding a bicycle lying down, stretching, walking on the buttocks on the floor. Although the attending physician should suggest a specific set of exercises.

Features of treatment during exacerbation of sciatic nerve disease and during periods of remission

In the acute period of the disease, when pain intensifies, the patient is shown bed rest, and physical activity is contraindicated. Lie down on a solid foundation. During the remission period, on the contrary, it is recommended to perform physical exercises. This is especially true in cases where the root cause of sciatica is osteochondrosis.

Is it possible to relieve pain with heat? This largely depends on the underlying cause of the disease. Some patients are helped by wearing warm clothes and socks, wrapping their legs, applying a heating pad to a sore spot. Others, on the contrary, only the cold helps.

Patients in the period of remission are shown sanatorium treatment, primarily in resorts with therapeutic mud. Radon and hydrogen sulfide baths are also effective.

Another effective method fight against sciatic nerve disease during remission - hydrotherapy, swimming in the pool. This method can be considered a kind of therapeutic gymnastics, since water facilitates the patient's movements, relieves spasms, and helps unload the spine.

Prevention of diseases of the sciatic nerve

Once sciatica first presents itself, it is difficult to treat. And a complete cure for this syndrome is hardly possible. However, it is quite realistic to prevent the occurrence of this disease, and if it nevertheless made itself felt, then make sure that it does not manifest itself in the form of acute pain. For this purpose, several rules must be observed:

do not overcool;
monitor your health, treat infectious diseases in time;
do not overexert;
avoid mechanical injuries of the back and spine;
avoid stress, because sciatica can often be the result of neurosis.

Sciatica is often associated with diseases of the spine, so care must be taken to ensure that the back is always comfortable, so that when sitting there would be no pain. It is necessary to equip the place of sleep so that the spine would be on a rigid base. Also, if the patient has a sedentary job, then you should take care that when sitting on a chair there would be no excessive bending of the spine, monitor your posture. After 60-90 minutes of work at the table, you need to take a break and perform simple exercises that allow you to stretch the muscles of the legs and back.

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Each micron of the human body is permeated with the finest network of nerve pathways that coordinate the highly complex activity of the entire organism as a whole. However, despite the paramount importance of the nervous system, it is a rather fragile structure that can “fail” for one reason or another and lead to the emergence of any neurological pathology.

It is to this group of diseases that inflammation of the sciatic nerve, better known as sciatica, belongs.

Starting at the level of the sacro-lumbar, the sciatic nerve goes down and sends its branches to the thigh, knee, ankle joint, lower leg, foot and phalanges of the fingers. Thus, the sciatic nerve extends to the entire lower limb, providing it with sensitivity and mobility. At the same time, it is the most important element of the sacral nerve plexus, which ensures the normal functioning of all organs of the small pelvis.

The wide area of innervation of the sciatic nerve is closely related to the characteristics of the clinical manifestations of sciatica. Therefore, the symptoms of sciatica largely depend on which part of the nerve root has a pathological change.

Causes of sciatica

Most often, sciatica occurs due to the formation of a herniated disc that compresses the nerve. In any case, with the formation of a hernia, inflammation of the nerve, symptoms of sciatica may appear. In addition, banal hypothermia can lead to sciatica.

The causes of inflammation of the sciatic nerve are as follows: a change in the shape of the vertebrae, leading to injury to the nerve endings, trauma (including birth), irritation of the nerve by adjacent bones, muscles, tumors, internal bleeding, diabetes, infections (including past ones - rheumatism, influenza, tuberculosis ), arthritis, constipation, gynecological diseases.

Let's take a look at the following reasons:

Stenosis of the lumbar spinal canal is a condition that is associated with a narrowing of the lumen of the canal in which the spinal cord is located and from which the nerve roots exit. Most often this condition occurs in people over 60 years of age, appearing as a result of excessive formation of soft tissues, expansion of the facet joints of the vertebrae, pressure on the nerve roots emerging from the spinal cord and passing through the intervertebral foramina, protruding intervertebral disc. As a result, the nerve is compressed and infringed, pain appears, as well as all other symptoms of sciatic nerve neuralgia;

Osteochondrosis is a degenerative disease of the spine, in the event of which there is a change in the intervertebral discs, their protrusion and flattening, fouling with bone growths. Appearing bone growths can compress and irritate the nerve roots;

Spondylolisthesis is a condition in which one vertebra slips in relation to another. It also leads to pinching or compression of the nerve roots that form the sciatic nerve (for example, when the fifth lumbar vertebra slips off the first sacral);

Piriformis syndrome - there is irritation or stretching of the piriformis muscle of the sciatic nerve, which runs behind the piriformis muscle just below it. This syndrome does not apply to sciatic nerve neuralgia, but the pain in the leg that occurs with it can be the same as with sciatica;

Dysfunction of the sacroiliac joint - when this joint is irritated, irritation of the fifth lumbar nerve root passing here is noted, which also causes pain.

Among the rarer, but still serious causes are: tumor, abscess, blood clot, Lyme disease, infections in the pelvic cavity, fibromyalgia, Reiter's syndrome.

Sciatica classification

In medical practice, the classification of sciatica occurs according to the data that determine the location of the lesion of the sciatic nerves:

1) With upper sciatica, the roots are affected, directly at the exit from the spinal canal.

2) With average sciatica, the lesion is noted in the plexus area.

3) With lower sciatica, extensive damage occurs not only to the trunk, but also to the branches of the sciatic nerves.

Given the nature of the disease and the cause of the occurrence, the disease is divided into types:

1) The primary type includes sciatica provoked: by infections, as a result of hypothermia or intoxication.

2) The secondary type of sciatica is provoked by diseases of tissues or organs located in close proximity to the sciatic nerves, their roots or plexus. Or with pathologies in the hip joints and bones.

Depending on the number of nerve lesions, the disease is divided into forms:

1) Unilateral form of sciatica - determined by a single lesion.

2) Bilateral form - includes simultaneous damage to both nerve branches.

Symptoms of sciatica

The leading manifestations of sciatica are:

lower limb pain;
violations of sensitivity and motor activity of the lower extremities.

These symptoms differ in location, severity, nature and duration. For example, pain in nature can be shooting, burning, stabbing, aching or pulling. Another feature typical of sciatica is the paroxysmal pain sensations, when periods of increased pain alternate with a temporary weakening or even a complete “calm”.

As a rule, pains are descending in nature, occurring first in the lumbar region. and gradually descending to the underlying sections, down to the fingertips. Painful sensations mainly occur only in one leg, however, with bilateral sciatica, both limbs are involved in the pathological process, turning the patient's life into excruciating suffering. Especially when the pain is so intense that it practically paralyzes the patient: during such attacks, any movement, whether it is an attempt to sit down, stretch a leg, or simply transfer body weight from one leg to another, ends with a sharp exacerbation of pain.

At the same time, the symptoms of sciatica can be limited to only moderate, quite tolerable pain, and a violation of sensitivity becomes a priority, when numbness, tingling, a feeling of “crawling” in one or another part of the body come to the fore.

Since the sciatic nerve provides innervation to individual muscle groups, sciatica leads to a gradual weakening and even partial atrophy of some muscles. In particular, the patient may have serious difficulty in flexing the lower leg and lifting the foot. In more severe cases, even urinary and fecal incontinence may develop, as a result of the close interaction of the sciatic nerve with other peripheral pathways of the nervous system responsible for the functioning of internal organs.

Diagnosis of sciatica

Since the symptoms of sciatica can be blurred, and besides, they are often “masked” by manifestations of a concomitant disease, leading role in the diagnosis of inflammation of the sciatic nerve, they do not play. Diagnosis of sciatica relies mainly on clinical and neurological examination of the patient and hardware-instrumental research methods.

Clinical and neurological examination consists, first of all, in determining increased pain sensitivity when the patient performs certain actions. In the arsenal of a doctor, there are a number of similar tests that allow you to more accurately diagnose the disease.

What tests does the doctor do?

The patient is in the supine position. The doctor alternately raises the patient's legs up. A person with an attack has pain if the leg is raised 30-40 degrees. Most often, the pain appears in the right leg. When bending in the knee and hip joint, the pain subsides. With phantom pain, the patient does not feel better.

knee jerk

In patients with an attack of sciatica, the knee jerk is reduced or absent. When the hammer hits the tendon of the leg, extension at the knee does not occur.

The plantar reflex in patients with an attack will be reduced. Normally, when the hammer is passed over the surface of the foot, the muscle contracts, the fingers are compressed.
Achilles tendon reflex - contraction of the calf muscle with light tapping with a hammer. When the nerve is pinched, the reflex in the leg is absent or weakly expressed.

Magnetic resonance imaging is a modern method for diagnosing the cause of diseases. X-ray and computed tomography do not show the condition of the muscles, blood vessels, nerve roots. On MRI images, you can see the structure of the spine, the condition of tissues, blood vessels, and nerves. Therefore, modern medical institutions are increasingly using this method to confirm the diagnosis.

However, the doctor needs not so much to determine the very fact of sciatic nerve neuralgia as to find out the cause of its appearance. After all, effective treatment of sciatica is possible only with the correct identification of the causative factor or, as doctors say, the etiology of the disease.

Medical treatment

Medical treatment of sciatica is a common approach in traditional medicine. The patient takes pills, puts injections, applies ointments until the pain symptoms disappear completely. The patient's first aid kit always has medicine in case of an unexpected attack, vitamins for recovery and antidepressants.

Drugs used for treatment:

painkillers, NSAIDs (tablets, injections, ointments). Used in treatment to relieve pain symptoms: Voltaren, Diclofenac, Ketorol, Ibuprofen. The lessons are scheduled. when the pain is chronic (lasting more than 12 weeks). Have side effects, are addictive;

chondroprotectors (ointments, tablets, injections). They reduce pain symptoms, and also restore cartilage tissue, the joint: Chondroxide (ointment), Mukosat (injections, tablets, capsules), Chondroitin (tablets, injections), Teraflex (tablets), Glucosamine chondroitin (capsules). Well absorbed, practically no side effects. There is controversy about the effectiveness of drugs - a number of tests have shown the uselessness of chondroprotectors, although these drugs are popular in the sports industry because they allow joints to recover faster after injury. These are vitamins for joints of cumulative properties;

antidepressants, nootropics (tablets, injections). Drugs are prescribed for psychological problems associated with lumbago. There are side effects that are addictive.

Pharmacological preparations perfectly cope with pain, stress, help restore joints, improve blood circulation. Diclofenac, Voltaren, Ketorol are well-known drugs that relieve symptoms. Need to remember. that NSAIDs are not vitamins. Medicines have a number of undesirable side effects, form addiction and dependence. The main disadvantage of drugs is their absolute ineffectiveness in eliminating the causes of the disease. If you are concerned about sciatica, treatment can be carried out without pills.

Treatment of sciatica at home

First aid for sciatica

It is very important to quickly provide the patient with first aid, which includes the following activities:

A person needs to be laid on his stomach so that he feels comfortable. As soon as he relaxes, the main symptoms of sciatica will become less pronounced. For comfort, a pillow can be placed under the head and chest. During this period, compresses and rubbing should not be applied, as this will cause an increase in pain.
To relieve inflammation and pain syndrome, you should give the patient "Ibuprofen" or "Nurofen". These drugs have a symptomatic effect - they eliminate pain, relieve inflammation and normalize body temperature.
As soon as a person feels better, he should be shifted to his back, placing a pillow under his lower back and buttocks. If the condition does not improve, it is urgent to call an ambulance team.

Alternative methods of treatment of sciatica

cure sciatica fast folk remedies you can, but you must follow some rules of behavior:

You can not sit for more than 2 hours in a row.
Do not wear high heels or platform shoes.
It is necessary to provide the body with B vitamins. To do this, you can increase the amount of food that contains these vitamins, or start taking multivitamin complexes.
While walking, the feet should be placed straight.
You can not slouch, it will only exacerbate the symptoms.
You can't sleep on your back. The best sleeping position for this case- on the side.
Watch your diet. The appearance of at least 2-3 extra pounds can aggravate the situation.

aspen leaves

Inflammation of the sciatic nerve can be treated with a decoction of aspen leaves. To do this, take 1 tbsp. l. crushed dry leaves, pour a glass of water and put on fire. Boil for half an hour.

Next, the broth must be filtered and put in the refrigerator. To eliminate the main unpleasant symptoms, the decoction should be taken 3 times a day in the amount of 1 tbsp. l. Such treatment is carried out until complete recovery.

In addition, sciatica can be cured with the help of compresses. In this decoction, you need to moisten a gauze napkin, then attach it to a sore spot and wrap it with cling film. The course of treatment is 3-4 days.

Decoction of St. John's wort

Treat sciatica with folk remedies should be complex. This requires taking various ointments, baths and painkillers. But to eliminate unpleasant symptoms quickly, you should take the following decoction: you need 2 tbsp. l. St. John's wort, 400 ml of water. The ingredients must be placed in a small saucepan and put it on a slow fire. Cook for at least 2 hours.

The resulting decoction can be added to the bath or make compresses from it. And in order to cure sciatica in a short time, it is better to take it orally ½ cup up to 4 times a day. The course of treatment is 2-4 days.

Coniferous baths

You can treat sciatica with folk remedies using coniferous baths. They perfectly relieve inflammation of the sciatic nerve and eliminate pain. Before taking a bath, you need to prepare a coniferous decoction. For it is necessary to take 1 kg of coniferous twigs and pour 3 liters of boiling water over them. Infuse for about 2 hours, and then strain.

Then you need to pour warm water into the bath and add the prepared broth to it at the rate of 15:1. Take this bath for at least 20 minutes. Relief should come in 2-3 days.

Wax compress

If sciatica is chronic, then it can be treated with a wax compress. To do this, you need to purchase wax in a pharmacy, heat it in a water bath until it becomes plastic, form a cake out of it and attach it to a sore spot. Top with cling film and a warm scarf.

To cure sciatica, this procedure should be carried out 1 time in 2 days. Hold the compress until the wax has cooled down.

Pain reliever ointment

You can treat sciatica with folk remedies using an anesthetic ointment prepared according to a special recipe. To make it at home, you need to prepare the following ingredients:

honey - 1 tbsp. l.;
table salt - 1 tbsp. l.;
freshly squeezed black radish juice - 5 tbsp. l.;
medical alcohol - 250 ml.

Mix these ingredients thoroughly in a clean glass jar and refrigerate. Before each use, this product must be shaken. Treatment is carried out as follows: a small amount of ointment should be rubbed into the lumbar zone 2 times a day.

Bath with horseradish

To eliminate the pain syndrome, you can use a bath with horseradish. To do this, you need a horseradish root weighing 100-150 g, which must be scrolled through a meat grinder and transferred to a gauze bag. It should be lowered into a bath of warm water. It should be taken no more than 5 minutes once a day.

Black radish

You can cure sciatica at home with the help of black radish. It is used to prepare a special medicinal composition, which is then rubbed into the sore spot 1-2 times a day. To prepare a remedy, you need to squeeze the juice from one black radish tuber and mix it with honey in a ratio of 3: 1.

All these alternative medicines give very good results in chronic sciatica. In case it is observed acute inflammation sciatic nerve, treatment at home is not worth it, as this can only aggravate the course of the disease. Therefore, it is better to immediately seek help from a doctor and undergo a full course of medical and physiotherapy treatment.

Therapeutic exercises for sciatica

Physical activity can be started only when the acute stage is over. Gymnastics should be done without fanaticism, being careful. Remember that sudden movements and heavy physical exertion with sciatica are categorically contraindicated. Treatment of infringement of the sciatic nerve at home with the help of gymnastics is very effective.

A set of exercises:

Lying on your back, gently pull your legs bent at the knees to your chest, count to 3 and lower them back. 10 repetitions will be enough.
Lying on your stomach, lift the body as if doing push-ups, without using your hands. Imagine that you are a cobra and stretch your head up. Movements must be smooth. You need to repeat this 5 times.
Sitting on a chair, turn the body to the right and left. The back should be straight, legs bent at the knees at a right angle, feet should be on the floor.
Sitting on your knees, close your hands in the lock and raise above your head. In this position, slowly lower the body down until your hands touch the floor. 10 slopes will be enough.
Standing with your feet shoulder-width apart, bend left and right. The body must remain in the same plane with the legs. It is necessary to do 10 approaches.

This set of simple exercises will help relieve inflammation of the sciatic nerve and give flexibility and beauty to your body.

Dietary nutrition for sciatica

A person suffering from sciatica should eat balanced and as correct as possible, preferably in small portions 4-5 times a day. Food dry or in fits and starts is strictly prohibited, since the digestive tract, the excretory system, and the musculoskeletal system itself will suffer due to excessive load. In addition, admission useful substances and minerals will be limited, and this, in turn, will negatively affect the construction of cartilage tissue. But also do not overeat, because food that has not been converted into energy will remain in the body in the form of fat deposits on organs and tissues and increase the load on the suffering spine (what is fat and how to deal with it).

Particular attention should be paid to the use of:

Tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers, radishes and spinach not only contain sodium, magnesium, iron, but also vitamins A, B, C, E, etc., which make the body work like clockwork and are natural antioxidants. They also improve the metabolism in the body. In addition, salads and juices are useful;

Fish, poultry meat (ducks, for example), milk, eggs, beans, nuts, corn, mushrooms, eggplant, seeds should make up a third of the meal due to the presence of proteins in them. Sheep meat and white fish are especially useful, as they are characterized by the presence of unsaturated fats;

The use of natural cheeses, soybean pods, fish, cauliflower, peas enriches the body with phosphorus. Fresh eggs, nuts, beets, liver, heart, kidneys contain calcium, useful in the treatment and prevention of sciatica;

Seaweed, egg yolks, celery, bananas, almonds, onions, chestnuts, potatoes contain manganese, which is indispensable in the prevention of spinal diseases;

Avocados, cucumbers, legumes, nuts, sunflower seeds are useful for sciatica due to their high magnesium content;

Eating peaches, pumpkins, melons, artichokes, carrots, as well as fish, eggs and liver saturates the body with vitamin A, which normalizes metabolism and promotes cell renewal;

The use of the brain, heart, lamb kidneys, crabs, oysters, lobsters, corn, oats, peas, grapefruits and bananas contributes to the production of vitamin B. It is he who prevents inflammation of the nerve trunks;

Oranges, tangerines, sweet peppers, berries, herbs, pears and plums have vitamin C. In addition to its general strengthening and protective functions, it is involved in the production of substances that nourish cartilage and make them elastic;

Fish oil, milk and butter, cod liver, mackerel fillet enrich the body with vitamin D. It is indispensable for the absorption of calcium and phosphorus and is used in the prevention of diseases of the musculoskeletal system.

Dangerous and harmful products

Sweets, saltiness, smoked meats and fatty foods are very harmful if a person suffers from sciatica, as they provoke the appearance of fatty deposits and create an additional load on the spine;

Fatty cottage cheese, whole milk, sour cream and mayonnaise should be replaced with low-fat products, as they disrupt metabolism;

Carbonated drinks and alcohol are harmful to the joints and spine;

It is better to exclude strong tea and coffee, as they negatively affect the nervous system. Moreover, having a diuretic effect, they cause the body to lose a lot of fluid;

Spicy spices, salt and sugar are harmful, as they prevent the removal of fluid from the body and provoke the appearance of edema due to existing inflammation.