What To Expect With Sciatica

Sciatica is a descriptive term.  It means that there is a physical compression on the sciatic nerve and this causes pain/numbness along part/all parts of the nerve.  What it does not describe is what is compressing it.

With sciatica there are potentially different causes and thus they will have different manifestations; especially with what positions or activities are causing the nerve irritation.  It is important to let the treating practitioner know which positions aggravate to help determine what is the underlying cause/diagnosis.

The position/activity that causes the sciatic nerve compression needs to be respected.  Besides being painful, this compression will also cause local damage to the nerve and further propagate the problem.  Avoid this position/activity until the respective problem is resolved.  Once the compression has been resolved respectively the nerve will need time to heel.  Nerves are very slow healing tissue and it might take the better part of a year to get maximum  resolution.

During this nerve healing time (assuming the underlying nerve irritation remains resolved), re-strengthening of the involved musculature needs to be addressed.  If the initial compression lasted more than 2 weeks than it can be expected that the involved muscles lost conditioning.  The longer the initial problem persisted, the more deconditioning occurred.

To get maximum resolution of a person’s sciatica, this re-strengthening phase must be fully completed.  If not then the problem or a different new problem will realistically occur.  If re-strengthening is attempted while the original compression persists, then local damage to the involved musculature will occur.

Timing is everything.