Sciatica is the term for pain, tingling, or numbness that travels down the leg along the path of the sciatic nerve, usually caused by compression of a lumbar nerve root, most commonly from a disc herniation. The natural history of sciatica from disc herniation is genuinely encouraging: in the majority of patients, the herniated disc material reduces in size over time and nerve root inflammation settles with appropriate conservative care. A structured course of physiotherapy, targeted medication, and nerve root injections if needed produces significant improvement in most patients within six to twelve weeks. Surgery is considered when conservative treatment has been fully pursued without adequate improvement, when neurological weakness is progressive, or when bladder or bowel function is affected - which is a surgical emergency.
Written by Dr. Nirdesh H J, MBBS (Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute), MS Orthopaedics (Ramaiah Medical College), DNB Orthopaedics (National Board of Education), FNB Spine Surgery (Indian Spinal Injuries Centre, New Delhi), AO Spine Asia Pacific Fellowship (Bombay Hospital, Mumbai, under Dr. Arvind Kulkarni), AO Spine International Fellowship (Kyung Hee University, Seoul, South Korea, under Prof. Yong Chan Kim), Fellowship in Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery (Germany), Consultant Orthopedic Spine Surgeon, SPARSH Hospital, HBR Layout, Hennur Road, Bengaluru 560043. Phone: +91 6363626242.
