In order to cure sciatica, you must first be completely sure of the actual source of the pain. In 9 out of 10 cases of chronic sciatica, mistaken diagnosis is the only obstacle in finding true and permanent resolution of all symptoms.
This vital essay provides patients with hope that a cure is available, despite the many treatment failings they may have already suffered. We will guide patients towards finding their own cure by helping them to recognize the obstacles that have been placed in their way during the diagnostic and treatment processes.
Cure Sciatica Through Accurate Diagnosis
Achieving an accurate diagnosis is the key to beating your pain. The vast majority of sciatic nerve pain syndromes are thought to exist because of some abnormality in the lower lumbar spine. The most common of these conditions includes degenerative disc disease, herniated discs and spinal osteoarthritis.
Other causes are sometimes identified as being structurally-induced, but not directly linked to the lumbar spinal structures. The most common of these conditions includes piriformis syndrome and sacroiliac joint pain. These last 2 conditions are commonly called pseudo-sciatica, since they feel like sciatica and present all the typical symptoms, but are not caused by a spinal irregularity. While these diagnoses do explain symptoms in many patients and will lead to successful treatment, they may be partially or totally invalid in other circumstances, leading to failed attempts at care.
The actual cause of most long-term sciatica symptoms may not be found immediately or ever. This is particularly true for patients who immediately become labeled with a diagnosed lumbar abnormality as the source of their symptoms.
The true cause might be a disease or localized injury process. Other patients may have general neuropathy concerns or vascular tissue problems. Some patients certainly have higher level spinal irregularities, such as cervical spinal stenosis, to blame for their sciatica pain. Still other patients are tormented by ischemia, which is quite harmless in many instances, but can be extremely painful and debilitating. Ischemic sciatica is the direct result of a purposeful deprivation of oxygen to the affected anatomical region. In the case of sciatica, this region includes some or all the nerves, and possibly muscles, in the lower back, pelvis, buttocks, legs and feet.
How to Cure Chronic Symptoms
Of course, it is always wise to give your doctor the benefit of the doubt and try the recommended therapy options. If the diagnosis is correct and a physical cause exists, the symptoms should generally be alleviated in a matter of 4 to 12 weeks, depending on the specific cause. Most sciatic nerve pain conditions, due to a spinal source, will heal in 2 to 8 weeks when given appropriate care.
If you try several conservative sciatica treatment, options but do not find lasting relief or find your symptoms getting worse, rather than better, there is a good chance that your diagnosis is not correct. Here is where it is crucial to take part in your own care, before you are forced into some treatment choice which might do permanent damage. Typically, patients who do not respond to conservative care, or whose symptoms escalate, are recommended to undergo sciatica surgery.
Once operated on, there might be no turning back. Surgery has proven itself to be a poor curative modality for virtually all forms of back pain and offers particularly bad statistics for permanently resolving sciatica pain. Before you acquiesce to surgical intervention, be sure to exhaust all the more conservative options and consider the fact that your diagnosis might be faulty, not your previous treatments.
Cure Sciatica Suggestions
I suffered with chronic sciatica and lower back pain for 18 long years. I tried all the conservative treatments and still fell into a downward spiral of progressive misery and pain. My symptoms grew worse by the year until they virtually controlled my life. I was really thinking about surgery, when I found Dr. Sarno’s tension myositis diagnosis and used his knowledge therapy approach to end my pain. I was so happy to finally feel healthy again and could not believe how easy it was to actually cure sciatica.
As I mention throughout the site, achieving an accurate diagnosis is absolutely the most important part of recovering from sciatica. Once this is accomplished, you should be on the road to a better life in no time.
However, just remember that life always brings new challenges and even a correct diagnosis leading to successful treatment might not provide permanent relief. For those who are interested in achieving long-term success in resolving sciatica, we detail the methods of ending pain forever in our peer-acclaimed pain relief program.