Inflammation of the sciatic nerve: causes, symptoms and treatment

The inflammatory process in the sciatic nerve is a defensive reaction of the body to an irritant, which manifests itself in the form of pain. The sciatic nerve is the largest nerve in the human body, it is very sensitive, and therefore becomes inflamed more often than others. The main function of the sciatic nerve is to be responsible for the motor activity of the lower extremities. We will tell you why inflammation can occur, how it is expressed in symptoms and what to do in this article.

Causes of inflammation of the sciatic nerve

There are very, very many reasons that can provoke inflammation of the sciatic nerve, so only a qualified specialist can determine the specific reason why the disease started. It is also worth saying that inflammation of the sciatic nerve can occur as a symptom, in response to another disease. Those. the problem is not in this organ, but in another.

Let us list the main causes of the inflammatory process in the sciatic nerve.

• Prolonged exposure to cold winds, including drafts. Paradoxically, but often an illness associated with the sciatic nerve occurs precisely in the warm season.
• Regular infectious diseases.
• Infections from the herpes family.
• Careless sudden movement.
• Osteochondrosis.
• Gout.
• Injuries to muscles and bones in the area of ​​the sciatic nerve.
• Spondylosis.
• Stenosis.
• All types of tumors.
• Diabetes mellitus.
• Sometimes pregnancy can be the reason for the onset of the disease, since an enlarging uterus can put pressure on the nerve and provoke pain. The baby's movements can also be directed towards the nerve.
• Thrombosis.
• Poisoning with toxic substances.

Symptoms of inflammation of the sciatic nerve

It is simply impossible not to notice the inflammation of the sciatic nerve, since it is impossible not to pay attention to such pain. You need to be wary in a situation where:

• A problem arises in the simple movement of bending and straightening. It is impossible to bend forward without pain, and with additional bending the pain only increases.
• The direction of pain is directed from top to bottom, affecting the buttocks, lower back, thighs and lower legs.
• The appearance of pain in the buttock and behind the lower limb. Often the pain is bilateral, and the intensity is greater where the inflammation itself occurs.
• An attempt to turn around results in more severe pain.
• In some cases, the inflammatory process may be accompanied by acts of defecation and urine output, which happens involuntarily.
• It is almost impossible to stand on the limb in which the inflammatory process occurs.
• Sometimes there is a process of increasing body temperature, but not higher than 38°C. This symptom is explained by muscle pain and spasms. The temperature can rise both throughout the body and locally.
• Physical activity becomes problematic.
• In the area of ​​the inflamed nerve, the skin swells and becomes red.
• In some situations, a person may experience a feeling of muscle atrophy or weakening.

The clinical picture of this disease is pronounced, so when a specialist is contacted with similar symptoms, he initially begins to suspect the sciatic nerve as the cause of the pain and carries out the appropriate diagnosis.

A separate line should touch upon the nature of the pain that occurs with inflammation of the sciatic nerve. It can be different: shooting, aching, burning, pulling. However, it is almost always paroxysmal in nature. This means that periods of severe and simply unbearable pain are replaced by relative calm, but for a short period. A distinctive feature of pain is that a person can feel its path and direction: it all starts from the lower back, and then moves down and can even reach the fingertips.

If pain appears in two lower extremities at once, then with a high degree of probability we can talk about bilateral neuralgia. Needless to say, this situation is the most painful for the patient, but in practice such an illness is rarely recorded. Often, the second “healthy” leg experiences milder symptoms in the form of a tingling sensation, slight numbness and pins and needles.

Severe cases of such neuralgia can paralyze the patient and he becomes unable to move, and any attempt to do so leads to unbearable pain and painful spasms. Standing, turning, bending - all this becomes incomprehensible. If treatment is not started in time, neuralgia can become chronic. Then all the symptoms will remain for life.

Treatment of inflammation of the sciatic nerve

First of all, the specialist will make attempts to relieve pain and stop the inflammation process; for this purpose, the patient is prescribed appropriate medications. As soon as the pain goes away, the process of treating the cause that led to the inflammation of the nerve begins.

Physiotherapy techniques are often used in the work. However, if the causative agent is an infection, then methods are taken to combat it, and the patient is prescribed a course of treatment with antibiotics and antiviral drugs. If the trigger for inflammation of the sciatic nerve is hernia, then it is impossible to do without the intervention of a surgeon. If pain occurs in the area of ​​the sciatic nerve, you should contact a neurologist or neurologist.

In any case, to avoid the cause of the inflammatory process, the person must be provided with rest and bed rest until complete recovery.