Sciatica can be a life altering condition, and past treatment options have failed to bring relief. A new treatment option is providing relief in most cases, without the risk associated with surgery.

The complaint of Sciatica is often used inappropriately to define any pain down the leg, the true description, however is irritation to the sciatica nerve which is comprised of several nerves as they leave the lower back and join together to travel down the leg. The most common cause of true sciatica is either a bulging or herniated disc in the lumbar spine. The discs are soft structures in between each bone int he spine that acts as a shock absorber.

When you look at the consistency of a disc it is made up of 2 distinct layers. The outer portion is the consistency of cartilage and the inner portion is much softer and almost jelly like. The combination of these structures provides good cushioning and flexibility to the disc. The problem arises when the outer portion weakens and allows the softer inner portion to begin to migrate outward creating a bulge or herniation. This then compromises the exiting nerve and creates the symptoms often associated with sciatica such as pain, numbness and weakness.

Traditional treatment programs for sciatica typically consist of pain medication, injections and in severe cases surgery. These approaches may work in the short term to reduce inflammation and decrease the pain somewhat, however they also carry with them significant risk. The risk to reward benefit is often not worth it long term as most of these treatment are only temporary. If the problem becomes more severe and the nerve is actually compressed then these treatments may offer no relief at all.

Lets look at steroid injection in specifically now as a common sciatica treatment. The goal with an epidural steroid injection is to reduce inflammation to the nerve root and surrounding structures. While these types of injections can bring temporary relief, they can also cause what’s called a rebound effect, where the pain comes back much more intense. They can spike blood sugar in diabetics and over time can lead to other potential side effects. If the pain is severe however, the benefit of some pain relief may in fact be worth the risk, but the key is to do something proactive while the the pain is decreased.

In extreme cases of unrelenting sciatica surgery may be recommended and in a small number of cases may be an appropriate treatment. However, the overall success rate for disc related surgery is poor at only about 50% and in many cases the problem may worsen after surgery resulting in a condition called failed back surgery syndrome. This complication may arise from post surgical scarring, spinal instability, and increased stress on adjacent discs. It is very common to require another surgery in later years.

A new approach to the treatment of sciatica now exists that is safe, effective and treats the cause of the problem not just the symptoms. It’s called Spinal Decompression and brings with it a patented technology that allows a negative pressure to be created inside the disc space through a gentle distraction on the spine. This technology bypasses the typical guarding reflex of the spinal muscles and produces these negative gradients drawing in bulging and herniated material as well as fluid and nutrition so the disc can heal. It’s effective in over 80% of patients and has no risky side effects. While some will say it looks like traction the computer system makes it highly sophisticated and beyond the realm of traditional traction devices.

While spinal decompression may not be right for everyone suffering from sciatica, research shows it to be a very promising and long term option for many. Because it offers a true healing environment for the disc and nerves the problem is not just masked or covered up, but a true healing of the structures takes place. The treatment is safe and represents a real promise for sciatica sufferers everywhere.