Sciatica Pain
Sciatic neuralgia, sciatic neuropathy, or simply sciatica refers to a condition in which mild to intense lower back pain travels in the right or left leg. The pain may become worse with bending, coughing, twisting, or other types of movement. Ten to forty percent of people are affected by sciatica.
Disc herniation is one of the most common causes even though several things can trigger sciatica pain. Some research studies have shown that in up to ninety percent of the cases, sciatica pain may occur because of a herniated disc within the lumbar spine. Board certified orthopedic surgeon Dr. Tigran Garabekyan provides hip surgery to patients in Los Angeles, Century City, CA, and surrounding communities.
Common Causes of Sciatica Pain
- Herniated Disc or Lumbar Bulging Disc
Spinal discs serve several functions, such as acting as vertebrae cushions, offering flexibility in the spine, and transferring any spinal load evenly from one disc to the next. Herniation or disc bulge is common in the lumbar spine because it supports the entire weight of the upper body. It also supports the weight of any object you may pick up.
- Lumbar Spinal Stenosis
Spinal nerve roots branch out from the spinal cord through bone and ligament passageways called neural foramina. Nerve roots passing through these openings will join each other to become nerves and extend outwards to the rest of the body. Foramina become clogged or narrow when spinal stenosis occurs. The nerves in this case get compressed.
- Spondylolisthesis
Spondylolisthesis is a condition affecting the lumbar spine. It takes place when one vertebra slips over another and is displaced. When the vertebra gets displaced, it compresses the nerve roots or nerves below it. This results in symptoms similar to sciatica.
Developmental spondylolisthesis may either occur during birth or develop as one gets older. Acquired spondylolisthesis on the other hand may occur because of:
- Trauma
- Physical stress
- Spinal degeneration
- Trauma
Trauma may directly result in sciatica after a fall, contact sports or motor vehicle accidents. The impact can either injure the nerves directly. Or, they may result in broken bone fragments that compresses the nerves. There are several types of trauma that can cause sciatica like symptoms. This includes hip dislocation, pelvic fracture, and other similar injuries.
Traction-induced sciatica may result in the nearby hamstrings to irritate the sciatica nerve after tearing.
- Piriformis Syndrome
This syndrome is named after the piriformis muscle. Pain is caused when the sciatica nerve gets irritated by the muscle. This particular muscle is present in the lower area of the spine. Piriformis muscle connects to the thighbone and helps with hip rotation. The sciatica nerve runs right under the piriformis muscle.
Sciatica is caused by piriformis syndrome when the muscle becomes inflamed and start spasming. Inflammation causes the sciatica nerve to get compressed. Muscle spasms may also directly affect the sciatica nerve running through the muscles causing contractions.
A specialist in orthopedic surgery of the hip, Dr. Garabekyan receives patients from Los Angeles, Century City, CA, and nearby areas for safe and proven hip procedures.
Contact the Southern California Hip Institute
Dr. Tigran Garabekyan is a board certified orthopedic surgeon specializing in hip preservation. To learn more about Southern California Hip Institute or to schedule a consultation, click here to contact us or call:
Century City / Los Angeles: 310.595.1030
Serving patients in Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, Century City, West Hollywood, North Hollywood Encino, Sherman Oaks, Van Nuys, Burbank, Glendale and other neighboring cities in the greater Los Angeles, California area.
Also visit http://www.drgorthopedics.com/
