29-03-2021

Low back pain with sciatica: what are the causes?

Low back pain with sciatica, or lumbosciatica, manifests with low back pain that radiates to the lower limbs. It is a fairly common pathology with a variety of causes. In this article, Instituto Clavel reviews the most common causes.  

Lumbosciatica is a pathology that, as we said, gives rise to pain in the lower back (lumbalgia) and the sciatic nerve (sciatica), which is why it radiates to one or both legs. This pain can become quite annoying and can be disabling for the patient. 

In addition, it can also cause other symptoms: 

  • Stiffness 
  • Weakness in one or both legs 
  • Numbness or tingling 
  • Difficulty in bending over 

Causes of low back pain with sciatica 

The origin of this pathology is usually a combination of multiple factors. The beginning often lies in wear and tear on the joints and discs due to bad habits, repetitive stress, and age. However, there are other possible causes:  

  • Overexertion at work, when playing sports or during any other daily activity. 
  • Poor posture for an extended period of time, such as sitting incorrectly in the office. 
  • Having a lumbar disc herniation which, in turn, may also be caused by bad habits. 
  • Injuries resulting from a blow, a fall, or an accident. 
  • Muscle weakness, leading to overload of the bone and disc elements of the spine.  
  • Rheumatic disease
  • Viral diseases

Treatment of lumbosciatica 

Lumbosciatica is a fairly common pathology whose symptoms, fortunately, usually go away within a period of some days or weeks. 

Nevertheless, if you have these symptoms, it is very important to go to a spine specialist for an evaluation, so the specialist can determine the possible cause of the problem and find the appropriate solution for your case. This way, you protect yourself against the problem becoming more serious, and you will find out everything that can be done to keep it from happening again, especially if it has been caused by unhealthy habits such as poor postural hygiene or a sedentary lifestyle. 

The EOS technology, used in our center, allows us to obtain a high-resolution full-body X-ray with a radiation dose as much as six times lower than traditional X-rays. As a result, our neurosurgeons can see a high quality image of the patient's spine and make a much more precise diagnosis that will lead to a more effective treatment

The procedure chosen to treat this pathology will depend on the conditions of each patient and the structural cause of the pain, and it may vary from one case to another. In some cases, it may be appropriate to begin treatment with specialized rehabilitation geared to the specific pathology of the patient, or it might begin with selective pain-relief medication. Other patients may benefit from pain therapies such as rhizolysis or epidurolysis. Other cases, however, may require surgery, especially when dealing with a disc herniation or severe disc disease. 

At Instituto Clavel we approach each case in a totally customized way, analyzing the patient's spine in great detail. Our overall approach usually progresses in stages, starting with the least invasive measures for the patient, and escalating according to the patient's clinical needs. In this way, we achieve the best possible result with the minimum justifiable risks for each case.  

Do you have any questions, or would you like to tell us about your specific case? You can contact us here and we will be happy to help you.    

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