Some therapeutic options in treating chronic sciatic pain

ABSTRACT

Chronic back pain has become one of the most expensive causes of disability among people under the age of 45 years. A wide variety of non operative treatment options are advocated in the management of chronic sciatic pain [CSP] due to lumbar disc prolapse [LDP]. The most prevalent therapy for this pain is physical therapy. Recently electro-acupuncture [EA] is an established adjuvant analgesic modality in the management of chronic pain. In our study we tried to evaluate the efficacy of exercise therapy, low power laser therapy [LPL] and electro-acupuncture [EA] in the treatment of chronic sciatic pain due to lumbar disc prolapse. 45 patients with chronic sciatic pain due to [LDP] were included in this study. Their age ranged from 20 to 45 years. They were divided into 3 groups Group I [Exercise only], Group II [LPL+ Exercise] and Group III [EA + Exercise]. The treatment program continued 3 months. All patients were evaluated by taking full history, full clinical examination and investigated by plain X-ray and MRI. They were assessed by VAS, Roland Disability Questionnaire [RDQ], Schober's test, Finger Floor Test, Straight Leg Raising [SLR] test and Japanese Orthopedic Association [JOA] score. Our results demonstrated significant improvement in all parameters in the 3 studied groups with best improvement was in group III. Electro-acupuncture is an effective modality in controlling chronic sciatic pain and complications and may thus be used as a good alternative in indicated cases