How Is Sciatica Diagnosed?
Do you feel a burning, stinging pain in your legs and lower back every time you get up from a chair? This could be a sign of sciatic pain.
It’s a common problem that affects several people and in most of the cases it occurs due to herniated discs.
Who Are The People That Get Sciatica?
According to a research, sciatica is more common among men and middle-aged adults. The same research also concluded that around 5%-10% cases of lower back pain involve sciatica.
Some of the factors that lead to this problem include age, height, mental stress, smoking, and vibrations from vehicles.
Diabetic patients might feel similar pain but it’s caused by different reasons.
You experience sciatic pain because of a compressed nerve. Diabetic nerve pain on the other hand, occurs because of peripheral neuropathy which results in burning sensation in your legs.
How Sciatica Affects You
Sciatica can be quite dangerous. It has a direct affect on the way you walk and might result in you developing a condition known as antalgic gait.
Basically what this means is that you adjust the length of your stride in order to avoid pain while you’re walking. People often end up developing patterns, which help them deal with the problem.
How Is Sciatica Diagnosed?
The aforementioned information might give an idea regarding the impact that sciatica can have on your everyday life. Therefore, it’s essential that you immediately seek medical assistance when you detect the symptoms.
When you go to a doctor, the first thing they’ll do is ask you questions about your medical condition. This is important because there are multiple problems that lead to sciatica.
With these tests (and questions), the doctor is able to properly diagnose your condition and develop a treatment plan accordingly.
Some of the questions they’ll ask you include: when the pain first began and whether you feel it when you’re going up or downhill. They’ll also ask if you’ve been taking any medication.
The doctor will then take a physical exam in which they’ll check your posture and physical condition. In addition to that, they’ll also check your reflexes and muscle strength.
Apart from that, the doctors will get an x-ray or CAT scan in order to get an idea about the condition of your spine.
Usually, doctors recommend surgery in such cases but that’s not always the best option. It’s an invasive procedure, which can be quite painful for some people. We suggest you go for laser spine surgery at Laser Spine Center of Chicago.
Apart from laser spine surgery, we also offer additional services, which include stem cell therapy and PRP treatments. Dial 708-966-8000 and book an appointment now.
