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News on Sciatica
Bioengineers and surgeons at Duke University recently developed a new animal model to better understand sciatica and how to treat it.
It involved surgical simulation of nerve compression in rats, and as a result, the rats’ experienced an increase in a protein called interleukin-17 (IL-17). This particular protein is linked to the body’s inflammatory response, so the increased levels of IL-17 suggest that the immune system may affect sciatica.
Current Treatment Options
Although more research is warranted, the study at Duke University may provide more treatments for sciatica. For example, if a drug can block the immune response, the symptoms of sciatica may be eliminated. It will be interesting to see how this animal model will improve the treatment of sciatica.
Current treatment options for sciatica include physical therapy (especially for herniated disks), prescriptions drugs (e.g. muscle relaxers and pain relievers), epidural steroid injections and surgery. Depending on what caused your sciatica pain, it may disappear within four to eight weeks. However, sometimes aggressive treatments and drugs like the ones mentioned above are necessary.
Keeping updated on your treatment choices is important, but it’s imperative to seek a doctor’s advice. If not treated, sciatica can cause bladder and bowel incontinence, loss of physical strength and numbness in your legs or feet. Since many things can attribute to sciatica pain (e.g. trauma, herniated disc, spinal tumors, etc.), it’s best to have a thorough checkup.
Add a Comment4 Comments
I went through a long period of back pain and sciatica pain and tried everything like chiropractors, orthopedics, pain killers, muscle relaxants and many traditional therapies. But only some stretching exercises cured me from this killing pain which chiropractors never told me.
These exercises can help you as well.
http://www.backpainpanacea.com
May 2, 2010 - 8:33amThis Comment
I have had shingles many times and think that sciatica and shingles are related to my immune system. When I stop taking my tablets Acyclovir for shingles I get sciatica. Taking a low dose of Acyclovir stops my shingles and sciatica.
December 4, 2010 - 4:41pmThis Comment
Studies have shown that spinal decompression is only a temporary solution for sciatica (and an expensive one at that). That's why we've created a physical therapy program for active adults that suffer from piriformis syndrome and sciatica pain that lasts long term. Check out our site Pain in the Sciatica.
If you write frequent articles on back pain, you should also think about becoming an affiliate for our 10-Minute Sciatica Relief Program. We have an affiliate program through ClickBank with payouts at $48 per sale!
- Bryan Daigle
June 12, 2009 - 7:07amFounder of the 10-Minute Sciatica Relief Program
This Comment
It's amazing how much inter-related the human body is, especially how much spine health affects other systems. Thanks for the interesting article.
May 22, 2009 - 5:26pmThis Comment