Sciatica

What is sciatica?

Sciatica is radiating pain, burning, or numbness that extends from your lower back, through your hips, and down the backs of your legs. You typically only get it on one side of your body at a time. 

Sciatica rarely calls for surgery, and the team at Frontier Spine & Orthopaedic Surgery typically recommends nonoperative treatments for the condition. However, you might need surgery if your sciatica causes severe leg weakness or a loss of control over your bladder.

Sciatica happens when your sciatic nerve, a nerve that branches down your leg from your lower back, is compressed. You can’t always prevent it, but exercising regularly and maintaining good posture can reduce your chances of getting sciatica. It’s often a symptom of another condition affecting your spine or the area around it. 

The team at Frontier Spine & Orthopaedic Surgery treats traumatic, acute, and chronic sciatica cases. Traumatic sciatica comes from injuries that result in damage to your sciatic nerve. Acute sciatica is a short-term condition and typically results in more severe symptoms than chronic or long-term sciatica, which can recur for the rest of your life. 

What causes sciatica?

Several conditions can cause sciatic nerve compression leading to sciatica. At Frontier Spine & Orthopaedic Surgery, the team evaluates you for the following issues that may play a role in your sciatic nerve irritation:

• Herniated discs
• Bone spurs
• Spinal stenosis
• Tumors
• Diabetic nerve damage

Treating the underlying condition causing your sciatica can provide significant relief for your symptoms. 

What are my treatment options for sciatica?

The team at Frontier Spine & Orthopaedic Surgery develops a treatment plan to address your sciatica based on the underlying cause, the type of sciatica you have, and the severity of your symptoms. 

Before planning your treatment, the team may perform imaging tests like computed tomography (CT) scans or X-rays to view your spine and diagnose your sciatica’s underlying cause. Nonsurgical sciatica treatment might involve:

• Pain relief medications
• Muscle relaxants
• Anti-seizure medications
• Antidepressants
• Epidural steroid injections
• Selective nerve root block injections
• Physical therapy

For severe sciatica affecting your quality of life or symptoms that are resistant to nonsurgical approaches, the team at Frontier Spine & Orthopaedic Surgery might recommend minimally invasive surgical treatment like spinal fusion. They plan your surgery according to the cause of your nerve compression. 

To explore sciatica treatments and therapies, and to find relief for your pain, call Frontier Spine & Orthopaedic Surgery or book an appointment online today.