Quick Facts About Sciatica in Vacaville

About 10% to 40% of the population is suffering from sciatica. Even though it is common, there are many myths and misconceptions that revolves around it, which makes it difficult for some people to recover from sciatica in Vacaville.

quick facts about sciatica in Vacaville

Here are some quick facts about said condition to get you up to speed:

1. Sciatica overlaps with multiple diagnoses - Sciatica is medically termed as lumbar radiculopathy. It is best described as a compressing or pinching nerve pain. Some doctors may refer an underlying condition that causes your sciatica, such as spinal stenosis or a herniated disc.
   •  It can confuse some people who may have heard these terms together or interchangeably, but it doesn't necessarily mean that you have 4 or 5 different diagnoses.
2. Level of spinal nerve involvement matters - The symptoms of sciatica may vary depending on which nerve root was affected. For example, the S1 nerve root symptoms in your lower spine may cause marked pain along the back of your leg, thigh, and/or the outside of your foot, but the L5 nerve usually causes foot weakness.
   • It is possible that more than one nerve root may be affected at a time, which can cause overlapping symptoms. Depending on which spinal level is affected, sciatica may be lumbar, sacral, or lumbosacral radiculopathy.
3. Sciatica refers to a set symptoms - Sciatica can be described as a number of symptoms caused by an underlying medical condition; it is not a medical diagnosis. Leg pain is well-known for being the most bothersome symptom of sciatica. It also comes with numbness, tingling, and/or weakness that affects one leg at a time.
4. The risk increase with height and weight - Being tall and/or overweight can put you at high risk for developing sciatica. The risk increases with age and is common among men who are above 185 cm in height.
   • People who are overweight and have sciatica caused by disc herniation can also be at risk of hospitalization and/or surgery for their sciatica pain.
5. There is good response to treatment - Medical treatment handles sciatica well without long-term complications. In fact, the pain can also be resolved without any treatment. Relief can be experienced in a span of 4 to 6 weeks. When neurological symptoms like numbness and/or weakness is present, minimally invasive treatments or surgery may be suggested.
6. Treatment depends on the cause - A problem in the lower back such as spondylolisthesis, spinal stenosis, or herniated or degenerated discs can cause sciatica.
   • To treat sciatica, an accurate diagnosis of the underlying cause will be examined first. Depending on what caused it, an appropriate treatment will be recommended for it.
7. Other conditions can mimic sciatica - If you are suffering from an arthritic hip joint, broken hip bone, pelvic muscle spasm, or dysfunction of a joint in the pelvis, the pain may feel similar to sciatica.
   • Having a compressed or degenerated sciatic nerve or its branches in the leg can also mimic the pain of sciatica.

If you have sciatica, make sure to get in touch with your doctor for a diagnosis of the underlying problem. With that in mind, you can contact Dr. Alex Tam of Absolute Integrative Physical Medicine to get a diagnosis of your condition. You can do so by dialing (707) 474-5688 and make an appointment with their clinic.