Sciatica Specialist

What is sciatica?

Sciatica is a form of radiculopathy, which refers to conditions that cause back and leg or neck and arm pain due to spinal nerve compression. With sciatica (lumbar radiculopathy), the pain develops in your lower (lumbar) spine.

The sciatic nerve in your lower spine goes into your pelvic area through your buttocks and hips, then splits into two. One branch of the sciatic nerve then goes down each leg. You could develop sciatica if something damages or presses on the sciatic nerve. 

What causes sciatica?

The pressure on your sciatic nerve that causes sciatica could be due to:

• Muscle spasms
• A herniated or bulging disc
• Lumbar spinal stenosis
• Spondylolisthesis
• Degenerative disc disease
• Pregnancy

You’re more at risk of suffering from sciatica if you’re overweight and don’t exercise regularly. Wearing footwear that affects the alignment of your spine, like high heels, is also a risk factor.

What symptoms does sciatica cause?

The telltale symptom of sciatica is a sharp, shooting pain that goes from your lower back into your pelvis and down one leg. The pain follows the path of your sciatic nerve and usually just goes along one of the branches rather than both.

In addition to this pain, which is often severe, you might experience:

• Tingling
• Numbness
• Weakness
• Decreased mobility
• Pins-and-needles sensation
• Muscle control problems

Sciatica symptoms are often worse when you’re seated or lying down.

How is sciatica treated?

Treatments for sciatica focus on relieving the pressure on your sciatic nerve. Your provider at Capital Pain Consultants prepares an individualized treatment plan for you that could include therapies like:

• Anti-inflammatory medication
• Muscle relaxants
• Pain medication
• Therapeutic massage
• Physical therapy
• Epidural steroid injections
• Radiofrequency ablation

Losing excess weight and exercising more also help address the problems causing sciatica.

The Capital Pain Consultants specialists usually find that these treatments are an effective way of relieving sciatica.

However, some patients continue to experience severe pain and loss of function. If this happens to you, your provider might suggest a cutting-edge intervention like spinal cord stimulation, which stops your nerves from sending pain signals to your brain.

Another possibility is an intrathecal pain pump, which delivers powerful pain-relieving medicine into your tissues. Both these treatments require you to undergo a minor surgical procedure to implant the stimulator or pain pump, which is then controlled remotely.

To find out how you can overcome sciatica, call Capital Pain Consultants today, or book an appointment online.