Condition:
Sciatica is a common ailment that is associated with pain the gluteal region and into the leg. There are a few different causes of sciatica but all influence the sciatic nerve and produce symptoms by the same mechanism. Tension or pressure on the sciatic nerve. Most common causes are narrowing of the foramen that the nerve root that makes up the sciatic nerve passes through exiting the spinal column and pressure of the disc on the nerve root.
Sciatica Treatment:
Regardless of the cause, treatment for sciatica is straightforward. The first step is to decrease any inflammation around the nerve root using ice and the help of anti-inflammatory medication. The next step is to reduce muscle tension, postural habits etc. that contribute to the problem through stretching and retraining of posture and positioning. Finally, and this is the longer step, is to train the muscles surrounding the spine and hip to better support weight and protect eth sciatic nerve and its supplying nerve roots through conditioning and increased tone and bulk.
Differential Diagnosis:
Sciatica is a common name for other problems originating at the lower quadrant of the body. Other possibilities causing gluteal and leg pain are arthritis around the nerve root in the back, disc herniation or bulging, slippage of the spinal segments called spondylolisthesis, facet joint inflammation, performs syndrome, and many other muscle or joint limitations that may cause tension or pressure on the sciatic nerve further down the chain.