Neural Prolotherapy Reduces Sciatica Pain
The term Sciatica describes the symptoms of leg pain—and possibly tingling, numbness, or weakness—that originate in the lower back and travel through the buttock and down the large sciatic nerve in the back of each leg. The sciatic nerve is the largest single nerve in the body and is made up of individual nerve roots that start by branching out from the spine in the lower back and then combine to form the “sciatic nerve.” Sciatica symptoms occur when the large sciatic nerve is irritated or compressed at or near its point of origin.
Common lower back problems that can cause sciatica symptoms include a lumbar herniated disc, degenerative disc disease, spondylolisthesis, or spinal stenosis.
Sciatica is often characterized by one or more of the following symptoms:
- Constant pain in only one side of the buttock or leg (rarely in both
legs) - Pain that is worse when sitting
- Leg pain that is often described as burning, tingling, or searing
(versus a dull ache) - Weakness, numbness, or difficulty moving the leg, foot, and/or toes
- A sharp pain that may make it difficult to stand up or walk
- Pain that radiates down the leg and possibly into the foot and toes (it
rarely occurs only in the foot).
Today there are Regenerative Medicine techniques to help ease pain and repair damaged nerves. Neural Prolotherapy, or Perineural Injections, is a technique that uses dextrose (sugar water) or other substances. The substance is injected along the peripheral nerves which have been over-stimulated at times, causing chronic pain syndromes such as neuropathies.
The addition of the substances basically shuts down a substance called “substance-p”, which is pro-pain. This allows the structures underneath the nerves to begin the healing process. The end result is a reduction of pain, and repair of the damaged nerve areas.