How to treat sciatica?

Written by Ai Bing Quan
General Surgery
Updated on February 07, 2025
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Patients with sciatic nerve pain must rest in bed, especially those whose pain is caused by nerve compression. They must pay close attention to keeping warm and resting regularly, and use heat application on the waist and buttocks. For medicinal treatment, the drugs are mainly divided into Western medicine and traditional Chinese medicine. Western medicine primarily uses non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and neurotrophic drugs. Traditional Chinese medicine mainly uses drugs that invigorate the blood to promote the repair of nerve edema and surrounding tissue swelling. Treatment can also include acupuncture and physical therapy, particularly ultrashort wave therapy and direct current iontophoresis during the acute phase, combined with acupuncture, which can effectively promote the alleviation of sciatic nerve pain.

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Written by Na Hong Wei
Orthopedics
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Can sciatica be cured completely?

Sciatica is difficult to cure completely. If it is primary sciatica, which is caused by inflammation of the sciatic nerve, there is a possibility of complete cure after medical treatment. However, secondary sciatica is generally difficult to completely cure because it is usually caused by spinal diseases, such as herniated discs, spinal stenosis, or even spondylolisthesis. In such cases, even after solving the primary disease, some problems may persist, continuing to stimulate the sciatic nerve, making it difficult to cure completely. If the sciatica is caused by spinal tuberculosis or a spinal tumor, the situation is even more complicated. Even if the primary lesion is resolved, it cannot guarantee that it will not recur. Therefore, sciatica is difficult to cure completely.

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Written by Xie Yi Song
Orthopedics
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What are the symptoms of sciatica?

Sciatica refers to the pain caused by the sciatic nerve due to various reasons, such as compression from spinal diseases or simply sciatica itself, and it is inherently a symptom. What are the characteristics of this symptom? Sciatica can occur on one side or both sides simultaneously. When it occurs, the pain is usually continuous and can have episodic exacerbations. The pain is often dull, stabbing, burning, or like a knife-cutting sensation. It radiates from the buttocks along the back of the thigh and the outer back of the lower leg toward the foot. Clinically, sciatica is divided into secondary and primary types. Secondary pain is due to compression of the sciatic nerve root, commonly seen in conditions like lumbar disc herniation and other spinal disorders. It often accompanies percussion pain in the lumbar spine, and the pain may worsen with coughing, sneezing, or bending, and severe cases may experience numbness in the skin of the lower limbs. Primary sciatica refers to simple inflammation of the sciatic nerve. This type generally presents pain in the buttocks and back of the thigh and usually does not involve percussion pain in the lumbar spine.

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Written by Lv Yao
Orthopedics
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How to relieve sciatic nerve pain

When experiencing sciatic nerve pain, it is important to first determine the cause. It may be due to a herniated disc compressing the nerve root, or it could be caused by piriformis syndrome. If the pain is caused by a herniated disc and it is the patient's first occurrence, a CT scan can be done. If the herniation is mild, conservative treatment may be chosen, such as wearing a lumbar support and performing some traction. Patients can also actively exercise their back muscles to alleviate the sciatic nerve pain. Additionally, it is recommended to sleep on a firm bed and spend more time lying down than sitting. If the herniation is severe, has been prolonged, or it recurs frequently, it is advised to seek professional treatment in orthopedics. If the pain is due to piriformis syndrome, a visit to a pain management clinic is suggested for symptomatic relief and pain alleviation.

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Written by Lv Yao
Orthopedics
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Which department should I go to for sciatica?

When experiencing sciatic nerve pain, we first need to analyze the cause of such pain symptoms, such as a herniated disc compressing the nerve root leading to sciatica. In this case, we recommend visiting an orthopedic or spinal surgery department. If there is no disc herniation or nerve root compression, consideration should be given to whether the pain is caused by piriformis syndrome, in which case a visit to the pain management department is suggested.

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Written by Na Hong Wei
Orthopedics
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Which department should I register for sciatica?

Sciatica is divided into primary and secondary types. Primary sciatica is caused by inflammation of the sciatic nerve itself, thus one should visit the Department of Neurology. Secondary sciatica is more common and usually stems from spinal conditions, so initially one should visit the Department of Spinal Surgery. Alternatively, one can visit the Department of Orthopedics, which deals with broader orthopedic issues. If experiencing severe acute pain, a visit to the Pain Management Department can provide rapid and effective pain relief. For frequent episodes of sciatica and interest in rehabilitation, the Rehabilitation Department can be considered. Additionally, traditional Chinese medicine has unique approaches to treating sciatica, so visiting the Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine to try treatments with Chinese herbs and methods is also an option.