Entrapment of the sciatic nerve

Entrapment of the sciatic nerve can not be ignored, since it is accompanied by severe pain. This condition may occur as a result of various diseases of the spine, while squeezing the sciatic nerve tumor, and so forth. During pregnancy there is compression of the sciatic nerve growing uterus or pinching it into the bone canal.

Causes

Entrapment (more correctly - infringement) of the sciatic nerve is most common in a herniated disc. Intervertebral hernia - a loss beyond the spine elastic intervertebral spacers Feminine pads - talk about wings   (ROM), which normally does not allow the vertebrae to rub together and cause injury. But with age, or at constant high physical disk load covered by a network of small injuries, reduced their elasticity, lost the ability to amortization. Sometimes the wheels are broken and beyond the spine. This can lead to infringement of the spinal cord extending from the spinal nerves. Since the sciatic nerve is formed from the lower lumbar and upper sacral spinal nerves, when they occur, and infringement of pain along the sciatic nerve.

Another common cause of sciatic nerve is pinched low back pain Osteochondrosis - learn how to properly distribute the weight . This disease is the result of violations of metabolic processes in the bone tissue of the vertebrae. As a result of age-related bone of the vertebrae begin to get worse supplied with blood, leading to the growth of bone tissue in the form of pins, traumatic spinal nerves.

There are other reasons pinched sciatic nerve. For example, a tumor which can grow in the tissue of the nerve, and the surrounding tissue, compressing a nerve.

Diagnostics

To assign the correct proper treatment, you must first figure out why the nerve pinch. To do this, it conducted a complete diagnostic examination of the patient. AT

Once on the radiograph will be found (or not found), the main bone changes to clarify the nature of their appointed or computer magitno resonance imaging. If there is a suspicion of a tumor, most often make radiological examination - scintigraphy of the spine.

Treatment

Treatment starts even before the results of the diagnostic study with pain relief. With a very strong permanent pain hold special blockade of analgesics (eg, Novocain). In addition, the patients received nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which reduce inflammation (as it always has in the infringement), swelling and pain. All NSAIDs fall into the traditional, which inhibit the enzyme cyclooxygenase (COX example, diclofenac) and more advanced, which inhibit the action of COX-2 alone that promotes an inflammatory response. Another branch of COX - COX-1 protects the stomach lining from irritation and modern NSAIDs it is not suppressed. Therefore, modern NSAIDs (nimesulide, Arcoxia, movalis Movalis - relieve symptoms of inflammation   and others), unlike traditional not cause pronounced irritation of the stomach and can be used permanently.

In the hospital a lot of pain, you can shoot physiotherapy - UHF applications with prafinno or ozocerite, electrophoresis with analgesics and so on.

If the pain is not removed and continues to grow, then to remove it sometimes short courses appointed by the steroid hormones (eg, prednisone), which quickly relieve inflammation and swelling of the nerve, causing pain and removed.

After establishing a definitive diagnosis if pain continues to hold on and they are the result of infringement of spinal nerves exit the place of roots from the spinal cord (epidural) administered steroid hormones, which immediately reduce inflammation and pain. It does not eliminate the cause of the disease, but may temporarily relieve pain.

If the cause pinching of the sciatic nerve is the nerve roots pressure on the spine, the patient is prescribed to wear a special supportive corset, which reduces the load on the spine.

If you do not help any conservative methods of treatment, then resort to surgery, during which eliminates the cause pinching of the sciatic nerve.

The defeat of the sciatic nerve

The reasons for the defeat of the sciatic nerve varied. It could be an infection, intoxication, local cooling, trauma, diseases of the pelvic organs, spinal diseases (osteochondrosis, intervertebral hernia Intervertebral hernia - when the body fails , Congenital anomalies) and so on.

The sciatic nerve and its functions

The sciatic nerve - the largest nerve in the human body. It begins in the lumbar spine (the department that has the greatest load), and then passes under the gluteus maximus and runs down the back of the thigh to the popliteal fossa. In the popliteal sciatic nerve is divided into the tibial and common peroneal nerves.

Damage to the sciatic nerve and its branches

Damage to the sciatic nerve arise from bruises and sprains, fractures and dislocations at Dislocation - Prevention and Treatment When squeezing nerve tumor, with traumatizing it during various operations. Sometimes the damage arises from injury with a needle during injection in the gluteal region. During the fighting gunshot wounds to the sciatic nerve occupy one of the first places among the injured nerves. In peacetime, often affects the tibial and peroneal nerve in the popliteal region and in the lower leg.

A full break of the sciatic nerve in the gluteal region and in the upper thigh after injury lost active movements of the foot and toes. Sensitivity can also be lost completely on the sole, heel, rear foot and perednenaruzhnoy the lower third of the tibia. Thus on the periphery portions with a total loss of sensitivity positioned hypersensitive sites. Bending the knee usually is not affected, since the main branches that innervate hamstrings, waste higher, sometimes directly from the nerve plexus in the spine.

A full break sciatic nerve walking difficult, but possible. At half-time only peroneal nerve walking is very difficult because of the dangling foot, paralysis of the front and outer calf muscle groups, which is why the patient can not straighten her foot and lift the outer edge. If the damage is only the tibial nerve in the thigh foot is constantly in a state of extension ("heel stop"), the patient can not stand on your toes.

Denervation (deprivation of nerve supply) of the sole and heel during the break of the tibial nerve at any level is dangerous due to the fact that the plantar surface of the injured while walking, and are formed with difficulty healing ulcers. In dystrophic process (metabolic) with the time involved heel and metatarsal bones. Nonhealing ulcers of the foot and the bone disease may be the reason for the amputation of the lower leg, sometimes years after the injury. Full restoration of sensitivity on the soles occurs rarely. Often develop contractures (a persistent reduction of muscle) the foot and toes in the wrong position.

For the diagnosis of damage to the tibial nerve, if the wound is above the knee, you must assess the condition of the back of the lower leg muscle groups, offering the patient to bend the foot, and explore the sensitivity of the skin on the soles.

Treatment

When you open injuries with a complete violation of nerve conduction, electro-confirmed data on the sciatic nerve usually suture. It is necessary to avoid a compound motor sciatic nerve bundles sensitive and vice versa.

When closed injuries of the sciatic nerve is shown conservative treatment with application of thermal treatments, physiotherapy, therapeutic exercises and massages for a long time. It is necessary to prevent the development of perverse provisions of the foot and toes using bandages, tires and orthopedic shoes Orthopedic shoes - how to determine what is right for you? .

The higher the level of damage, the less complete recovery. After the suturing on the sciatic nerve in the gluteal region full recovery of innervation of muscles of the foot does not occur often, pain in the soles, but ill adapted to the existing disorders. Pain and sensory loss is easier to choose the right shoes with a firm sole and soft footbed.

Damage to the sciatic nerve - it is always a long and difficult flowing portable patient injury. The treatment of such injury requires perseverance and systematic, both by the doctor and by the patient.