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Sciatica’s 4 Stages

    

5.15 - What-Are-the-4-Stages-of-Sciatica-1


When Italian anatomist Domenico Cotugno wrote what is considered the first known book on sciatica in 1764, he described it as a "nervous disease." Cotugno was not too far off the mark. In fact, sciatica is a nerve-based condition that tends to come in stages based on how the sciatic nerve is irritated or compressed. This article goes over the four stages of sciatica so you can get a better idea of when to seek treatment.

1. Acute Symptoms (Early Stage)

This is when sciatica symptoms first develop. The discomfort could be immediately severe, or it could be fairly mild. During the early stage of sciatica, assuming the discomfort is not debilitating and the symptoms are mild, it is often possible to benefit from self-treatment.

2. Varying Degrees of Discomfort (Middle Stage)

As sciatica progresses, it is common for those with the condition to experience discomfort that varies depending on the movements they are making. Sciatica is often easier to manage at this stage. This can include learning what movements tend to trigger symptoms. Controlling your symptoms at this stage may also involve: 

• Changing your mattress to one that is more supportive
• Using a lumbar support belt to minimize movement if your sciatica is linked to a herniated disc
• Improving your posture
• Using an ergonomically designed chair when you work so you are supporting your lower back properly

3. Pain Flare-Ups (Mid-Stage)

Even if you get your sciatica under control, you may still experience pain flare-ups from time to time. Flare-ups related to sciatica tend to occur when making certain movements or overdoing it when exercising or doing other activities. If you do experience flare-ups, steps you can take for relief include: 

• Taking some time to rest
• Taking over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medication 
• Modifying your activities
• Doing stretches to ease muscle stress that could be affecting your sciatic nerve
• Talking to your doctor if you have a herniated disc that has not been treated yet

4. Chronic Sciatica (Last Stage)

The final stage of sciatica is when it becomes chronic or consistent and more difficult to manage or control. Sciatica is considered chronic if the symptoms have not subsided after 3–4 months or if the symptoms are getting worse over time. At this point, there is a risk of permanent or lingering nerve damage even if you have surgery to relieve nerve pressure from a herniated disc. However, steps can be taken to ease lingering discomfort, including: 

• Physical therapy
• Hot and cold applications
• Nerve injections so you can benefit more from physical therapy
• Diet changes so you are not eating foods that cause inflammation, such as sugary snacks
• Efforts to get more exercise to strengthen the muscles around the sciatic nerve

Patients who have had discectomies for herniated discs may experience sciatica if their discs reherniate, which often occurs if there is a large hole in the outer ring of the disc after surgery. Fortunately, there is a new treatment shown to reduce the risk of reherniation by closing the hole in the disc after a discectomy. This treatment is done immediately following the discectomy—during the same operation—and does not require any additional incisions or time in the hospital. Barricaid was proven 95 percent effective in a study of over 500 patients, meaning 95 percent of patients did not experience a reoperation due to reherniation in the two-year study time frame. 

If you have any questions about the Barricaid treatment, ask your doctor or contact us at 844-288-7474.

 

For full benefit/risk information, please visit: https://www.barricaid.com/instructions.

 

 

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