Back pain with fainting.

Dear Ask The Doctor: I have been suffering from an undiagnosed sciatic for many years. The pain is sentralized at the base of the spine and starts with a feeling of urgency. It peeks in increasing waves to the point of fainting. It is acompanied by changes in vison with colors and webs, ringing ears with loss of hearing, pale color, and nausea and a high temp with poring sweat to the point of fainting. Rubbing the right hip bone usually helps. Is this normal or should I have it checked out. It is excrutiating.

Dear Steven: There are many causes of sciatic nerve inflammation: blunt injury, compression by the surrounding muscles, intervertebral disk degeneration or lumbar disk disease, all of them can produce pain along the sciatic nerve. The conventional treatment for Sciatica is aimed to relieve the pain and besides the use of anti-inflammatory drugs (as Ibuprofen) and vitamin B complex, a physical therapy program can benefit you, with stretching of the hip muscles and local heat or ultrasound application. It is very important also avoid activities that place stress on the lumbar spine. Sometimes the pain and discomfort can persist for several weeks before to improve. The local corticosteroid injection may be considered for patients who show limited response to oral medication and physical therapy. Regarding the other symptoms that you have described I strongly recommend you a comprehensive evaluation by a neurologist.