Muscle Atrophy in Sciatica Patients

Mary Franz - Jan 07th, 2011

Sciatica is a painful and sometimes debilitating condition in which the nerves at the base of the spine are compressed due to disc degeneration or acute disc injury. These nerves impact the sciatic nerves that run down the legs. The result is pain that shoots down one or both legs.

Conventional treatment for sciatica involves prescribing anti-inflammatories and pain medications. Unfortunately, this type of treatment does not address the underlying problem. Chiropractic care for sciatica involves spinal manipulation to realign the spine and relieve pressure on the nerves.

This method of treating sciatica also provides a better environment for proper healing and reducing further degeneration. Other important factors in treatment may involve weight loss as well as instruction on patient-guided exercises to relieve pressure during flare-ups of sciatica.

Addressing the underlying problems that cause sciatica is important to prevent future problems. In a recent study printed in the British Journal of Radiology, it was found that patients with long-term back pain due to disc degeneration had muscle atrophy -- a decrease in their total muscle mass -- on the symptomatic side.

A loss of muscle mass due to disc degeneration can lead to further trouble down the road for patients, as they further injure their spines to compensate for the lack of muscle strength. Good back and core strength is essential for spinal health.

Ploumis A, Michailidis N, Christodoulou P, Kalaitzoglou I, Gouvas G, Beris A. Ipsilateral atrophy of paraspinal and psoas muscle in unilateral back pain patients with monosegmental degenerative disc disease. British Journal of Radiology. November 2010.0: 58136533