Sciatica: Causes, Symptoms, Diagnoses and Treatments

Sciatica or sciatic pain and symptoms are associated with a pinched or compressed spinal nerve root (exiting nerve) from the spinal cord. Your spinal cord stems from the base of your skull and travels through the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar regions of your back. Between each vertebra, at each level, a pair of spinal nerves exit through holes in the bone of the spine called the foramen on both sides of the spinal column. These nerves are called nerve roots or radicular nerves.

The sciatic nerve is an extension of the exiting nerve and anatomically runs down both legs, connecting to muscle and tendons into your hip, buttock, thigh, knee, calf, and foot. The main cause of sciatica nerve pain is a herniated disc compressing or pinching a nerve root. Sciatica can be present in one or both legs. Another common term used to describe this pain is radicular pain or radiculitis (nerve root inflammation). Radicular pain is usually secondary to inflammation or compression of a spinal nerve. This pain is often deep and steady and usually reproduced with certain positions and activities such as walking or sitting. Once a nerve dysfunction is documented by a specialist, the condition is referred to radiculopathy. There are treatments available at the Spine INA for sciatica nerve pain. You can contact us to make your appointment today an learn more about sciatica treatment options.

What Is Sciatica?

The longest nerve in your body, the sciatic nerve, begins in your spinal cord and branches out to your hips, buttocks, thighs, calves and feet. When this nerve gets irritated, you might experience sciatica symptoms in your lower back, buttocks and legs.

What Are the Causes of Sciatica?

Sciatic nerve pain is caused by a variety of lower back conditions, including the following:

Herniated disc: When the discs between your vertebrae bulge outward, pressing against nerves, you can experience sciatica symptoms like pain, numbness, tingling or weakness in the legs.
Spinal stenosis: This problem occurs in older adults. Spinal stenosis is a type of nerve compression disorder that causes leg pain when you walk or stand.
Spondylolisthesis: This condition occurs when one vertebrae in your lower back moves forward over another. The extended spinal bone can irritate or pinch nerves, resulting in sciatica.
Trauma: Motor vehicle accidents, sports injuries and other trauma can cause nerve compression.

What Is the Best Sciatic Nerve Pain Treatment in NJ?

Come to us for prompt sciatic nerve pain relief in NJ when you have a severe condition that you need to get treated promptly. By visiting us, you can prevent the problem from becoming worse. We’ll use the best sciatica pain relief methods for your condition. Nonsurgical sciatica treatment in NJ, like exercise and medication, can help relieve pain. Here are some of the treatment options available to you:

Heat or ice: Heat or ice packs may be used to relieve leg pain, particularly when the pain has just started. Patients who need sciatica pain relief in Marlton, NJ, and the surrounding region can use both ice and heat. For you to avoid ice burn, the ice needs to be wrapped in a cloth.

Chiropractic or physical therapy: These methods are used to provide better alignment of the spinal column and address the conditions causing the sciatic nerve pain.
Pain medication: Prescription medication helps alleviate sciatica pain. Anti-inflammatory drugs like naproxen can reduce inflammation associated with this condition. Narcotic medications may also be used to relieve pain for a few weeks. These medications for sciatica pain relief in East Brunswick, NJ, and beyond are available as over-the-counter drugs.
Epidural steroid injection: When pain is severe, an epidural steroid injection may be used to deal with inflammation. Although it provides temporary relief, it can help to relieve acute pain so that the patient can proceed with an exercise or physical therapy program. If epidural steroid injections fail to relieve pain, endoscopic procedures may be needed.

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Sciatica Symptoms

Typical sciatica symptoms usually occur on one side of your body. They might affect your shoulder, arm or leg. However, those suffering from severe spinal stenosis may experience symptoms on both sides of the body.

If you have sciatica, you might experience symptoms such as:

Sharp, needlelike pain
Burning
Muscle weakness
Tightness
Cramping
Tingling
Numbness

Diagnosing Sciatica

To diagnose sciatica, a spine specialist will have to follow a comprehensive process. Here is how the process works:

First, your doctor will look at your medical history and do an assessment of your current symptoms as well as any treatments or care you’ve received in the past.
Next, your doctor will perform a thorough physical examination. This will help them identify any symptoms, such as muscle weakness, pain or signs of spinal cord damage.
Lastly, your doctor will run tests, including CT scans, MRIs and X-rays. These give the spine specialists a detailed, three-dimensional view of your spinal structure so they can identify abnormalities that could cause your sciatica nerve pain.

Treatment Options for Sciatica

Doctors can prescribe various treatment options for sciatica pain, including non-operative and surgical treatment. At Spine INA, your well-being is our utmost priority, and we strive to treat sciatica with the most conservative approach. However, if sciatica surgery is necessary, you can trust our surgeons to execute advanced sciatica medical procedures that cause minimal surgical trauma.

Non-Operative Sciatica Treatment Options

For many of our patients, surgical solutions are not required in order to get relief from a herniated disc and sciatica nerve pain. In fact, clinical studies show that many patients find relief without surgery in four to six months. Common non-operative treatment options include:

Cold and hot compresses on the affected area for 24 to 48 hours.
Pain medications such as anti-inflammatories, narcotic painkillers (only in severe cases) and muscle relaxers.
Epidural steroid injections to help pinpoint the cause of your pain and provide pain relief.
Chiropractic and physical therapy to improve the alignment of the spinal column and address the cause of sciatic pain.

Caudal Epidural Steroid Injection Treatment at Spine INA

A caudal epidural steroid injection can reduce swelling and inflammation of the sciatic nerve and alleviate pain. One of our medical professionals will inject an anesthetic and steroid through the spine into the epidural space. Although this treatment method provides temporary relief, it can help relieve acute pain so that you can proceed with an exercise or physical therapy program.

Least-Invasive Surgical Treatment Options

If the conservative treatments listed above don’t work to ease your pain and evidence is supported by testing and imaging, your doctor might recommend surgical treatment. Spine INA offers various minimally invasive surgeries for sciatica.

Endoscopic Discectomy (Transforaminal or Interlaminar)

Surgeons perform an endoscopic discectomy to remove a herniated disc. Making an incision that’s only ¼ inch long, the surgeon enters the spinal canal without damaging the surrounding muscles. After observing the damaged disc, they work to remove the damage using a high-definition camera. You’ll be given conscious sedation and kept comfortable during the procedure.

This advanced operation does not hinder spinal mobility, which is one of the long-term complications of a spinal fusion. An endoscopic discectomy does not require a spinal fusion and causes less muscle tissue trauma, which means your spinal mobility is preserved.

After undergoing an endoscopic discectomy, most patients with sedentary jobs return to work within a week or two, while those with more physically demanding jobs can generally return within four to six weeks.

Endoscopic Foraminalplasty

An endoscopic foraminalplasty uses endoscopic techniques to decompress the area where the nerve exits the spinal cord, relieving any pressure on the nerve to help alleviate painful symptoms. Because this procedure is one of the least invasive spinal operations, patients can generally start physical therapy on the day of the operation and return to work a few days after surgery.

Endoscopic Laminotomy

Those suffering from spinal stenosis can find much-needed relief through an endoscopic laminotomy. During this procedure, the surgeon creates an opening of the lamina above and below the painful disc to relieve nerve compression. Endoscopic laminotomy is an outpatient procedure, meaning you can go home on the same day as your surgery.

Vertiflex

This procedure uses Vertiflex® interspinous spacers, which surgeons implant between vertebrae to hold them open and relieve pressure on the nerves. Patients with moderate spinal stenosis can benefit from this simple procedure. Your surgeon will make a small incision in your lower back and place the titanium Vertiflex® implant between your vertebrae. When the spacer is in place, its arms or projections will open to secure it in position.

Your doctor will advise on proper post-operative care to help you recover quickly.

How to Cure Sciatica Permanently

The first step to permanently alleviate sciatica pain is to find your sciatica’s root cause. Your doctor will conduct thorough tests to determine the origin of your pain and devise a unique treatment plan for you. If your doctor includes surgery in your treatment plan, you can confidently rely on our minimally invasive surgical treatment. Our sciatica pain relief surgeries have a 90% success rate when treating bulging discs and pinched nerves.

Schedule an Appointment for Sciatica Treatment

Spine INA surgeons receive ongoing training to offer industry-leading sciatica treatment to our patients. When you book an appointment with one of our doctors, we’ll develop a tailored plan that aggressively promotes your road to a pain-free life. Start the process by booking a pain evaluation today. Alternatively, contact our team online for an appointment.