Sciatic nerve neuropathy
The sciatic nerve is the longest nerve that begins in the lumbar region, passes through the tailbone, the back of the pelvis, and descends along the lower limbs to the feet. Diseases of the nervous system entail irreparable consequences, there are often cases when people become disabled and lose their ability to work.
The reasons for the development of sciatic nerve neuropathy can be different. Among them are diabetes mellitus, disorders caused by the tumor process, AIDS, herpes infection, alcohol abuse.
The neuropathy of the sciatic nerve is facilitated by compression of the piriformis nerve root, as well as an unsuccessful injection. When a nerve is damaged, pain appears, which can be divided into two types: superficial meaning damage to small nerve fibers and truncal, which is determined by compression of the spinal roots and tunnel neuropathies.
Today, several types of compression neuropathies are known, manifested by vertebral syndrome causing changes in the walls of the "tunnel", peripheral neural and dystrophic.
Neurological diagnostics for neuropathies is carried out based on the symptoms of the lesion, the severity of pain and numbness in the extremities in the zone of nerve innervation, impaired motor and sensitive functions. If the diagnosis is difficult to establish, methods are used to determine the degree of speed of the impulse along the nerve.
Sciatic nerve neuropathy reduces motor activity, possibly a complete absence of reflexes, paralysis of the foot and fingers, numbness of the lower leg and foot. It becomes difficult for such patients to bend the lower leg, since the motor ability of the biceps femoris is lost. The cutaneous nerve of the thigh is involved in the pathological process, which causes a complete loss of sensitivity in the back of the thigh.
The longer the illness lasts, the more complications arise, for example, such as a violation of the external rotation of the hip or Lasegue or Bonnet pathologies. Almost always, in advanced cases, vasomotor and trophic disorders occur, trophic ulcers affect the heels and the outer edge of the feet, and deformity of the nails on the toes develops.
Restoration of the functions of the sciatic nerve
If a person experiences heaviness in the legs, a feeling of pain along the sciatic nerve, the doctor can make a preliminary diagnosis - compression of the sciatic nerve. Further, a detailed study, the use of various diagnostic methods will confirm or deny the diagnosis. They provoke, increasing the symptoms, changes in the weather, stress.
During palpation, there is pain in the gastrocnemius muscle. Compression of the lower gluteal artery and sciatic nerve is accompanied by muscle spasm of the leg, resulting in lameness and pallor of the skin. Therapeutic measures in the treatment of sciatic nerve neuropathy are aimed at studying the etiological and pathogenetic mechanisms of the disease.
The severity and rate of development of the disease are taken into account. Timely treatment promotes lasting remission, which in turn enables a person to live fully. The optimal therapeutic effect is achieved with the use of medications, as well as from the use of physiotherapy procedures.
For sciatic nerve neuropathy, one of the manual therapy techniques is recommended, which involves stretching the muscle that has undergone spasm. Drug therapy is aimed at relieving pain. Pathogenetic therapy, which improves blood supply to the nerve involved in the pathological process, is excellent against oxidative stress. Anti-inflammatory drugs are used to relieve spastic syndrome, as well as vitamins.
Given the insidiousness of this disease, one should adhere to bed rest, sleep on a hard bed, and reduce physical activity. Combination of physiotherapy with drugs gives excellent results. A course of massage must be prescribed, which can be carried out only after a noticeable improvement in the patient's condition. A visit to the massage room is useful for normalizing nerve conduction, improving blood circulation and lymph flow, and it is also the prevention of muscle atrophy.
Physical therapy should not be neglected either, there is a special program, the elements of which are selected individually. Modern treatments for sciatic nerve neuropathy also include swimming in a pool, it is known that water can reduce pain, relax muscles, eliminate spasms. Surgical treatment is indicated in case of a too pronounced syndrome and the impossibility of curing with medication.
Article author: Mochalov Pavel Alexandrovich | d. m. n. therapist
Education: Moscow Medical Institute. IM Sechenov, specialty - "General Medicine" in 1991, in 1993 "Occupational Diseases", in 1996 "Therapy".
