SCIATICA

As the body’s longest nerve, the sciatica nerve branches from the lower back and radiates through the hips, buttocks, and down the back of each leg. Those who have sciatica, which causes numbness and discomfort usually only in one leg, can suffer from substantial leg weakness and lower back pain. The pain may vary from a dull ache to a constant burning pain, which may feel like electric shocks. Sciatica is most common in those with herniated discs, bone spurs, or spinal stenosis. Fortunately, most people can recover from sciatica within a few weeks of nonsurgical treatment at Minivasive Pain & Orthopedics, even if they have severe pain. However, those with severe symptoms may be candidates for surgical treatment.

When you make an appointment at Minivasive Pain & Orthopedics, your orthopedic physician will evaluate your muscle strength and reflexes. This can be determined by asking you to do simple exercises such as walking on your toes or heels, rising from a squatting position, or lifting one leg at a time while lying down on your back. If you experience discomfort from any of these activities, it could indicate you have sciatica. Further testing may be necessary to rule out other conditions that would show up on an X-ray or MRI scan that would otherwise have no symptoms.

Surgery for sciatica is a last resort. Most patients respond well to nonsurgical treatment, including medication, physical therapy, or corticosteroid injections. Self-care measures such as lifestyle modifications and home exercises are also beneficial for the majority of sciatica patients. Surgery is reserved for patients who have severely compressed sciatic nerves that do not respond to conservative treatments. Surgery involves removing any bone spurs or a portion of a herniated disc that compresses the pinched nerve.