Question
hi,
 i've been suffering from sciatic pain for the last year and a half. i was reading up on it a little bit lately and read about cauda equina being a severe consequence of sciatica. the only symptom that seemed like it affected me was urinary incontinence. but in my case, i've had incontinence issues at least 3 years before i injured my back. all these articles mention incontinence resulting from sciatica, but in my case, my incontinence was already there before the sciatica. should i be worried in this case? and how long does cauda equina set in, as i've had sciatic pain for the last year and a half, am i in the clear? thanks

Answer

Lawrence Gold Somatics  

Hanna Somatic Educatio   Hello, Harry,

Cauda Equina is not a disease condition; it's a feature of the anatomy of the spinal cord.

Sciatica does not cause incontinence; the condition that causes sciatica may also cause incontinence:  extremely tight spinal muscles that cause nerve entrapment.

Please see this write-up on sciatica:

http://somatics.com/sciaticasymptoms-piriformissyndrome.htm

The article also indicates how to clear up sciatica by freeing the spinal musculature.