One of the most common forms of radicular pain is sciatica. Approximately 45% of the population over the age of 45 struggle with back pain and this is one of the most common causes.
Of course, sciatica isn’t the only radicular pain that people need to deal with. Radical pain is defined as a compression of the lumbosacral nerve roots, that’s those situated between discs L4 and S1. The compression can be caused by a variety of things, including inflammation in the area.
Most people that suffer this type of radicular pain will experience pain in the buttocks and this will extend down one of your legs. It can often be felt in the lower part of the leg as well as the thigh area. This type of pain can be severe, leading to difficulty undertaking regular actions and negatively affecting life quality.
You are more at risk of radicular pain if you have the following:
- Unhappy at work and often feel stressed
- Spend a lot of time driving
- Work bent over all the time
- Are overweight or obese
- Smoke
- Have a job that involves a lot of manual labor
In short, if you are often stressed, even moderately, and spent a lot of your time with poor posture, you’re more likely to encounter issues.
This isn’t surprising as you place additional stress on your spine and are likely to cause it to become inflamed. This makes it painful which encourages you to stand differently and makes the issue worse.
Diagnosing Radicular Pain
Once you’ve experienced the pain for more than a few days you’ll need to visit a doctor. While there isn’t a specific test for sciatica the doctor will recognize all the symptoms and be able to diagnose the issue.
In some cases, imaging will be used to help confirm a diagnosis.
The most common sign is when the leg pain appears more severe than the back pain and there are changes in your reflexes. This isn’t the only symptom but is the main two.
Treating Radicular Pain
Your first port of call will be a reputable chiropractor. Specialists, such as this Chiro Bull Creek, have a vast amount of experience dealing with radicular pain. They can provide you with a range of exercises to help you stretch your tendons and muscles while easing the pain in your back and leg.
Alongside this, a specialist will conduct a neurological exam to confirm if there is any nerve damage or not.
Painkillers can be used to help treat the pain and encourage your body to heal. But, in some cases, you may need surgery to resolve the issue. It’s best to speak to a back specialist. They will be able to identify what is compressing the nerve or why you have inflammation and then advise what the best course of action is.
The good news is that there are many options to reduce the pain and help you return to a normal life. You simply need to tell your doctor everything and trust them to find the right solution.
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