The singer Adèle stopped by a crisis of sciatica. How do we relieve this pain?

in collaboration with

Dr Gérald Kierzek (Medical Director)

Adèle is known for her frankness towards her fans. Also, during an interview about his show in Las Vegas titled Weekends With Adelethe singer spoke of the back pain she suffers from, a pain in the sciatic nerve which regularly handicaps her.

Several herniated discs since he was 15 years old

Her last crisis of sciatica as she calls it also left her literally on the floor since the singer of 35 collapsed behind the scenes of her show until the arrival of a member of her production team, who had to lift her entirely off the ground. Nevertheless the singer keeps smiling, and talks about her physical problems on stage, and in her interviews, whether it’s about her weight loss or her physical shape. In an interview with The Face in November 2021, she revealed that she had already struggled with herniated discs since the age of 15.

Sciatica, a pain that can be intense

Abusely called sciatica, the ailment Adèle suffers from is actually called sciatica (sciatica being the name of the nerve itself that starts from the spine and goes down behind the thigh and down to the heel.)

However, this nerve can be compressed inflamed, pinched by a herniated disc in particular. “Osteoarthritis, trauma or inflammatory disease can also be involved. completes Dr Gérald Kierzek. But if sciatica is not serious in the majority of cases, it can however cause severe pain, sometimes unbearable.

But how to quickly treat “sciatica”? Dr. Kierzek suggests a three-step solution.

• First of all, by maintaining a gentle activity. “Before, we imposed a strict rest, but now we know that immobility can be harmful. We therefore recommend gentle walking or maintaining moderate activity, to avoid muscle stiffness and improve flexibility”;
• Then medications are often prescribed to relieve pain and inflammation. “These are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, analgesics, sometimes even corticosteroid injections when conventional treatments are insufficient” says our expert. Applying heat or cold can sometimes help relieve pain and relax muscles;
• Finally, the work of the physiotherapist remains important to strengthen the back muscles, improve posture and relieve pressure.

On the other hand, surgery remains little used to relieve sciatica. “This one is reserved for only three criteria” says our doctor.

• In case of paralysis, if the patient can no longer walk or raise the toes;
• In case of hyperalgesic sciatica, that is to say when the pain is too great and cannot be relieved;
• In the case of what is called cauda equina syndrome, when sciatica induces sphincter disorders, and disorders of the perineum.