EPLDURAL CORTICOSTEROID AND LOCAL ANESTHETIC INJECTION VERSUS INTERFERENTIAL CURRENT IN TREATMENT OF SCIATICA

Abstract

Sciatica is defmed as pain radiating from back into buttocks and into the posterior and/or lateral aspect of leg . Now lumbar disc herniation is the most common cause of sciatica . The aim of this work is to compare . between epidural injection of corticosteroid with local anesthetic in the lower sacral hiatus and interferential current in treatment <1>f sciatica . This study was carried out on 30 patient suffereing from symptoms and signs of unilater.al L5 or S1 radiculopathy. They were collected from the out patient clinic of physical medicine & rehabilitation departement, Tanta University Hospital. Their age was ranged from 22 to 55 years with a mean age 41.8 ± 7.7 years ofwhom 15 were males and 15 were females, 16 patients were right sided and 14 were eft sided . The patients were divided according the line of treatment into two groups matched in age , Sex and duration of the complaint . Group (I) Included 15 patients their ages ranged from 33-55 years with a mean age of 42 ± 6.6 years of whom 8 were males and 7 were females. 7 Patients were right sided and 8 patients were left sided . 9 patients had a disc lesion between L4_ 5 and 6 patients had a disc between Ls-st . 9 patients were manual workers, 4 patients were farmers and 2 patients were employers . The duration of the disease was ranged from 1 to 6 months with a mean duration 3.6 ± 1.5 months.