Oh My Sciatica!

by Dr. P. Carl Rafey 10. October 2014 08:53

dr. carl rafey

"Sciatica," is a common term used by many to describe a painful sensation in the posterior part of the leg. What some do not know is that sciatic symptoms commonly arise from problems in the lower part of the back.

​The sciatic nerve is the widest nerve in the human body containing nerve fibers from the L4-S3 spinal nerves. These nerves are bound together and travel from the lower back through the buttock into the leg. These nerves in turn control the function and sensation of the lower extremities.

​When a person complains of sciatica pain their treatment options involve conservative care or surgical intervention. Conservative care can involve specific exercises, spinal manipulation, and spinal injections. If conservative can is deemed ineffective physicians will typically refer for a surgical consult. This routinely involves an operation called adiskectomy. This is the removal of all or part of anintervertebral disc in the spinal column in attempt to relieve the patient's symptoms.

​As always conservative care is recommended as the primary treatment before a surgical operation is considered.

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The Spinal Column

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