What is sciatica?
Sciatica is pain due to problems with your sciatic nerve, which is the largest nerve in your body. When the nerve gets pinched or damaged, it can cause pain along the nerve’s pathway, which begins in your lower back and travels down each leg.
What causes sciatica?
Sciatica can result from lifting something heavy, a sports injury, or being in an automobile accident. It may occur after experiencing a ruptured intervertebral disc, narrowing of your spinal canal, a pelvic fracture, or a bone spur. Sometimes the cause of sciatica isn’t known.
Factors that increase your risk of developing sciatica include obesity, older age, carrying heavy loads, diabetes, and prolonged sitting.
What are the symptoms of sciatica?
The following signs and symptoms may indicate you have sciatica:
- Radiating pain from your lower back down one leg
- Discomfort anywhere along the sciatic nerve pathway
- Sharp or shooting pain
- Mild, aching pain
- Burning pain
- Numbness or tingling
- A feeling of a jolt or electric shock
- Pain when sneezing or coughing
- Muscle weakness in your leg
Sciatica symptoms vary from person to person. The pain may come and go or affect just one side of your body. If your discomfort is severe or long-lasting, see the Advanced Pain Management team for an evaluation.
How is sciatica diagnosed?
To diagnose sciatica, Dr. Gupta reviews your medical history. He asks questions about your symptoms, completes a comprehensive physical exam, and may use X-rays, MRIs, or other imaging procedures to find the root cause of pain and establish the right treatment plan for you.
What is the treatment for sciatica?
Your personalized sciatica treatment plan might include:
Physical therapy
Your provider can show you strength and flexibility exercises that help relieve sciatica pain or prevent recurrences.
Injections
Dr. Gupta might recommend steroid, anesthetic, platelet-rich plasma (RPP), or nerve block injections to alleviate sciatica discomfort without addictive medicines or invasive surgery.
Radiofrequency neurotomy
Radiofrequency neurotomy is a procedure in which Dr. Gupta inserts a tiny needle that emits heat energy into painful areas of your body to mask pain signals from nerves to your brain.
Spinal cord stimulation
With spinal cord stimulation, Dr. Gupta inserts a tiny pacemaker-like device just beneath your skin to send mild electric currents to your spinal cord to reduce pain signals.
Don’t live with pain associated with sciatica when simple solutions are available at Advanced Pain Management. Schedule an appointment over the phone or online to learn more about your treatment options.
