Sciatica is a painful condition that may lead to limping and even immobility in your legs. Sciatic pain can be caused or aggravated by calcification in the sacroiliac joint that further compress the sciatic nerve running from your sacrum down through your hips and providing sensory and motor input to your legs. If you are suffering from sciatica resulting from calcification, a proper diagnosis can lead to the proper treatment and reduce your pain.
Definition
If you are diagnosed with calcification in your spine, you have bone spurs, also known as osteophytes. These bony protuberances grow along bone edges. By themselves they are not painful but can be excruciatingly painful in a location where nerves may rub against them or be compressed. There are several conditions that can result in osteophytes in the lumbar region.
Causes
Forestier disease is also known as diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperstosis, a hardening of the ligaments limiting mobility and decreasing range of motion of your legs if located in the sacroiliac region. Lumbar spondylosis is a degenerative condition of the bones in the lower back that can result in osteophytes. Spinal stenosis is a condition where the nerve channels for the spine are narrowed. This condition may be congenital or acquired.
Some people may not have any of these conditions and still develop bone spurs. This can be a normal process of aging with friction on the joints creating scar tissue that calcifies.
Symptoms
You may have bone spurs in your lumbar region without ever developing any symptoms. If your bone spurs place pressure on your sciatic nerve, you will experience varying degrees of pain and immobility. You may first experience tingling and numbness in your legs that can radiate from your hip down to your toes. If the calcification is creating a lot of pressure, you can feel debilitating pain in your back, hips or legs.
Diagnosis
Diagnostic tests are used to determine if your sciatic pain is the result of bone spurs. An X-ray, computerized tomography (CT) scan or MRI can be used to identify the location of the calcification. If your condition has persisted for an extended period of time, more than two months, your doctor may request nerve conduction tests to determine if sensory and motor nerve fibers have been damaged and to what extent.
Treatment
Treatment for sciatica resulting from bone osteophytes depends on the amount of pain and damage being done. If you still have a wide range of motion, your doctor may prescribe nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) medication to reduce swelling and pain. Stretching can also increase flexibility and reduce the pressure on the sciatic nerve. If your condition is severe, you may require surgery to remove the spurs. This may be done arthroscopically.
Aside from bone spurs creating pressure on the sciatic nerve, there is also a danger of the spur breaking off and floating in the joint space. This may lead to locking or other damage to the nerve or joint tissue. Discuss your condition with your doctor to determine the best course of action for your situation.
Tags: bone spurs, sciatic nerve, your legs, your condition, your doctor, also known
