The largest and longest nerve in the human body is the sciatic nerve. It is about the size of the diameter of the little finger. “The sciatic nerve is formed from the spinal nerves, called L4 to S3, in the lumbar and sacral regions of the spine” (The Iowa Clinic Spine Center). The sciatic nerve extends from the lower back and runs down to the buttocks and into the posterior of each thigh. The function of the sciatic nerve is to “deliver nerve signals to and from the muscles and the skin of the thighs, lower legs and feet” (Inner Body). Sciatica is the term used to describe a severe burning or shooting pain that travels down the sciatic nerve. The medical term for sciatica is lumbar radiculopathy. Sciatica usually affects only one …show more content…
Symptoms may worsen after sneezing or coughing, prolonged sitting, or even some “activities, such as bending or twisting” (The Iowa Clinic Spine Center). Sciatica is not a diagnosis, but rather a symptom of an underlying condition. Some of the underlying conditions that can pinch or put pressure on the sciatic nerve include a herniated disc, piriformis syndrome, stenosis, and spondylolisthesis. Other underlying conditions that can cause inflammation of the sciatic nerve include osteoarthritis. Some common risk factors for sciatica include age, obesity, occupation, prolonged sitting, and diabetes. As one ages, the disks that separate each vertebrae of the spine may become herniated and cause pressure to the sciatic nerve. Obesity causes even more pressure on the spine and can cause problems leading to sciatica. Having an office job, where one sits for long periods of time or is constantly lifting heavy loads, also can contribute to problems in the lower back. People with diabetes are also at risk for sciatica. Diabetes affects the way the person’s body uses sugar, which increases risk of nerve damage. “For most people, sciatica responds well to self-care measures” (Mayo Clinic).
This led to the isolation of the sciatic nerve, found between the hamstring and heel on the lateral side of the thigh. Using fingers, the seams along the quadriceps and hamstring underwent a blunt dissection. In doing so, the glass-dissection probe was used to free the sciatic nerve embedded in the tissues. A four-inch string was inserted between the nerve and the tissue. Then the transducer was calibrated using a fifty-gram block under the “Frog Muscle” program.
Availability of nerve block therapy, chiropractic treatment and high dose of pain medicine which will promote numbness, reduce sciatic nerve pain, minimize fatigue and decrease pain sensation. Similarly, implanted pain pumps which delivers a medicine directly to the spinal cord and symptoms can be controlled by smaller dose than needed dose with oral medication.
Peripheral and central mechanisms involving nerve lesions and their input are substantial when perceiving phantom pain. Due to the impairment of peripheral nerves in the process of amputation, regenerative sprouting of damaged axons occurs and the activity rate of inflamed C-fibres and demyelinated A-fibres spontaneously increases (Flor, 2002). As a consequence of this nerve injury, a neuroma, which is a mass of pruned and tangled axons, may form in the residual limb producing abnormal (ectopic) activity (Katz, 1992). Flor, Nikolajsen and Jenson (2006) proposed that ectopic discharge from a neuroma in the stump illustrates abnormal afferent input to the spinal cord, which is a possible mechanism for unpro...
The sciatic nerve is like a rope made up of several nerve roots stemming from the lower back and sacral area combining to make a nerve matrix as large as your thumb. This is susceptible to nerve compression. Since this nerve runs down the back of the thigh and lower leg it also causes leg pain. The pain can result from sitting in one position too long such as with secretaries or long haul truck drivers. Women who wear very high heels suffer from sciatic pain as well. Another well known cause of sciatic pain is a slipped or...
Tests after tests including MRI’s, X-rays, and experimental procedures were performed to show I had five ruptured disks in the lower lumbar section of my back. Tedious Examination done by a group of doctors concluded I had a crippling disease of the spinal column called spinal stenosis. Spinal stenosis is a narrowing of the spinal canal that causes compression of the spinal cord. (Lohr,1) If this disease was ignored any longer, it would lead to many other problems affecting other areas of my back to help support this weakness. It was an extremely rare case for an athlete my age.
Because sciatica isn’t an actual medical diagnosis, but a result of a previous condition or injury, it is more difficult to make definite statistics of how many people have been subjected to sciatica. A more general classification of sciatica is lower back pain that is incredibly common for Americans. Lower back pain is the single leading cause of disability in Americans under 45 years old, according to the Global Burden of Disease 2010. The third leading cause of disability in people over 45 years of age is back pain. In fact, half of all working Americans admit to experiencing back pain each year, where 26 million Ameri...
The good news is poor posture can be easily corrected, which will redirect the forces applied to the intervertebral disc. The bad news is a lot of people have poor posture.
Osteoporosis also increases a risk of deformities such as hump backs and rickets due to bones bending because they cannot support. It can also result in the vertebrae collapsing and this will cause back pain and reduced height. The vertebral column can also bend sideways creating an unsteady posture and hindering
Simple musculoskeletal back pain has symptoms of pain in the lumbrasacral area of the back (Jackson & Simpson, 2006). The upper thighs and knees are also known to be affected (Jackson & Simpson, 2006). This pain is usually described as a dull pain (Jackson & Simpson, 2006). Spinal nerve root pain is localised down the leg, and usually continues below the knee and into the feet (Jackson & Simpson, 2006). It has been d...
Obvious signs include crooked spine while bending over, fatigue, shortness of breath, uneven hemline on shirts, and an asymmetrical waistline. Less obvious signs must be detected by health professionals through early screening, or diagnosed by your physician during a comprehensive physical exam.
The most common cause of sciatica is a herniated spinal disc (aka slipped disc). When this happens, the natural cushion between the vertebra of your spine ruptures, causing the disc to push out into areas usually occupied by these nerves. The nerves are compressed, and people then experience the symptoms of pain, weakness, and numbness. Other conditions, such as spinal stenosis, spondylolisthesis, or piriformis syndrome can also cause sciatica symptoms by irritating the nerve.
When a message comes to the brain from body parts such as the hand, the brain dictates the body on how to respond such as instructing muscles in the hand to pull away from a hot stove. The nerves in one’s skin send a message of pain to the brain. In response, the brain sends a message back dictating the muscles in one’s hand to pull away from the source of pain. Sensory neurons are nerve cells that carry signals from outside of the body to the central nervous system. Neurons form nerve fibers that transmit impulses throughout the body. Neurons consists of three basic parts: the cell body, axon, and dendrites. The axon carries the nerve impulse along the cell. Sensory and motor neurons are insulated by a layer of myelin sheath, the myelin helps
7 It can also present in many different manifestations, including acute, dull and referred. 7 When pain is caused by the sacroiliac joints it can be difficult to predict the referral patterns, though they are commonly described as following the sciatic nerve distribution, namely the buttock, posterior thigh and posterior lower leg, or upper and lower lumbar, abdomen, buttock and groin, though the buttock seems to be most common. 6(p.19) Sacroiliac joint pain is reportedly more common in women than in men, which may be attributed to the differences in sacral width.