General information
Lumboischialgia (composed of lumbus = loin, sciatica = sciatic nerve, -algia = pain) is a pain in the lumbar spine caused by irritation of the sciatic nerve. Lumboischialgia is therefore a symptom and not an independent disease. In most cases, the pain radiates along the course of the nerve via the buttocks to the rear thigh, and may also be accompanied by numbness or a tingling sensation in the affected leg or foot.
Most often, a herniated disc (prolapse) of the lumbar spine or the bulging of a disc (protrusion) of the lumbar spine is behind the pain. The protruding disc presses on the nerves and causes the typical symptoms. Other possible causes of lumboischialgia are
- Inflammation of nerves
- Blockages in the area of the spine
- Infections with the herpes zoster virus (shingles)
- Bone tumors
Pregnancy as a trigger for lumboischialgia
Lumboischialgia occurs particularly often during pregnancy. The reason for this is on the one hand an increased risk of disc problems in pregnant women, since the increased weight puts a strain on the intervertebral discs.
Treatment of lumboischialgia in pregnancy
If tense or overstrained gluteal muscles cause the back pain, heat can reduce the discomfort. Compresses, heat pads, warm baths or red light applications are recommended. Affected pregnant women should not spare themselves if possible: Light massages and moderate sports such as targeted stretching exercises or pregnancy gymnastics can help with lumboischialgia.
Cushioning of the lumbar spine while sitting and a stepped position with the legs raised at right angles relieves the lumbar spine and can also help to reduce pain. Acupuncture is one method of treating lumboischialgia. Acupuncture is part of traditional Chinese medicine.
Several needles are pricked into specific points in the area of the back and remain there for 20 to 30 minutes. In the case of acupuncture due to lumboischialgia during pregnancy, various methods can be used. A distinction is made between acupuncture movement and conventional acupuncture.
In movement acupuncture, a hip movement is performed for about twenty minutes after the needle is inserted. In conventional acupuncture, no movement is performed after the needle is inserted. However, certain acupuncture points should be avoided during pregnancy when using acupuncture.
These points are generally known to trained acupuncturists. The term manual therapy comes from the Latin word “manus” – the hand. It is therefore a form of treatment that is performed exclusively by using the hands.
Manual therapies are intended to loosen up any entrapments, mostly in the area of the spine, and thus relieve nerve irritations. Manual therapy, for example in the sense of massages, is permitted during pregnancy, but should only be carried out by a trained therapist, as certain types of treatment must be avoided during pregnancy. Particular care should be taken when setting vertebral bodies, as this may exert pressure on the uterus and thus the maturing embryo.
Heat treatment to correct lumboischialgia is a recognized home remedy. The heat can reduce muscle pain and promote blood circulation. The pain relief removes the restriction of movement to a certain extent so that the patient has more room to move again.
Simple stretching exercises or general movement can therefore be carried out better. These can help to improve the symptoms of lumboischialgia. Simple heating pads or hot baths are the means of choice.
However, especially with hot baths, care should be taken to ensure that the bath is not too hot. This can lead to a general warming of the blood circulation between the embryo and the mother, which in a few cases can be harmful to the embryo. At a late stage, the heat can also trigger contractions.
Heating pads should also not be placed directly on the abdomen, but only in the area of the back. Osteopathy is a manual examination and treatment procedure.The treatment focuses on the musculoskeletal system, organs and tissue in the body. The task of an osteopath is to find movement restrictions in the body, and then to find the cause and develop treatment.
The treatment is usually a solution to blockages and movement restrictions without resorting to equipment or medication. During pregnancy osteopathy is considered to be harmless. However, no strong osteopathic treatments should be performed which could have possible effects on the child.
An osteopathic therapy of lumboischialgia is adapted to the different phases of a pregnancy. General information can be found under: OsteopathyIn principle, pregnant women should always consult their doctor before taking any medication. Anti-inflammatory painkillers (NSAIDs) such as Ibuprofen® or Diclofenac®, which are normally used in lumboischialgia, may be taken in the first two thirds of the pregnancy if necessary.
However, NSAIDs must not be used in late pregnancy, as they can cause damage to the unborn child, inhibit contractions and cause bleeding at birth. If necessary, cortisone may also be used after consultation with a doctor. The active substance pregabalin (Lyrica®), which is used to treat nerve pain as in lumboischialgia, must not be taken, however, due to insufficient experience during pregnancy. Treatments such as periradicular therapy (PRT) or epidural infiltration, in which cortisone and local anesthetics are injected into the spinal canal at the nerve root, are also not guaranteed to be harmless and are therefore generally not used during pregnancy.
