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Sciatica: All You Ever Wanted to Know & More

What is sciatica?
Sciatica (also known lumbar radiculopathy) is a type of pain affecting one or more sciatic nerve roots, which extend from your lower back (lumbar spine) down into the back of each leg. 

What causes sciatica?

Sciatica occurs when the sciatic nerve(s) or its origins along the lumbar spine are pressured, irritated or damaged causing pain, weakness, numbness and/or tingling in the lower back and extremities. Sciatica is typically a result of other medical conditions such as a herniated disc, (Figure 1) disc degeneration or spinal stenosis.  There are also certain risk factors that may increase one’s risk of experiencing sciatica.

Figure 1: Comparison of a healthy vertebral and ruptured vertebral discs

What are the symptoms of sciatica? 

Common symptoms of sciatica:

• Lower Back pain, which may be a mild ache, or a debilitating-sharp, burning sensation
• Weakness, pain, numbness and/or tingling in the lower extremities
• Discomfort when sneezing, coughing or laughing
• Pain that may worsen at night, interrupting your sleep
• Heel walk, which is the decreased ability to bring your foot upward
• Drop foot (difficulty when flexing your ankle and bring up the front of your foot)
• Restricted ability to walk on your tiptoes, walk, drive and/or lift your heel off the ground

Figure 2: Mapped symptoms of sciatica by vertebrae number and extremity locations.

If you are experiencing any combination of these symptoms, you may have sciatica.

Watch this online video about sciatica.

How is sciatica diagnosed?
Procedures used to diagnose sciatica may include:

• A straight-leg raise test to induce pain radiating from the hip and down the leg.
• A foot-flex or Braggard’s Test to identify sciatic nerve symptoms
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is used to get detailed images of spinal discs. MRIs use a giant magnet that circles the body.
• Computerized tomography (CT) scan with myelogram is an X-ray used with a special dye injected into the spinal fluid. The CT scan is used to help identify the “bony” causes of spinal stenosis, while the dye helps diagnose soft tissue conditions such as disc herniation or a bulge.
• Selective nerve root block (SNRB) is when a local anesthetic is injected into a nerve root suspected of being affected by spinal stenosis. If the patient’s pain goes away after the injection, it can be determined that the compressed nerve is the cause of pain.

How is sciatica treated?
Typically, a combination of treatments works best to treat spinal stenosis. Treatment options may include:

•        Education—teaching patients spinal anatomy and basic body mechanics to help them manage their condition
•        Exercise
•        Activity modification
•        Medication
•        Physical therapy
•        Injections
•        Surgery

Does sciatica require surgery?
In some cases, surgery is required. SpineOne is dedicated to minimally invasive options whenever possible and will do everything we can to avoid surgery.

When can I expect to resume normal activities without sciatica?

Many people with sciatica are able to resume their normal activities after treatment. The goal of treatment for most patients is to have a healthy, active lifestyle free of sciatic pain. You’ll want to speak with a physician who specializes in spinal care to plan your particular treatment and get back in the swing of things.

Where can I get treatment for sciatica?
If you suffer from chronic or acute back pain and cannot find relief, you should always contact a spine specialist like the physicians at SpineOne.  SpineOne offers a comprehensive evaluation, diagnosis and treatment plan tailored to meet the needs of each individual patient. The physicians at SpineOne perform minimally invasive procedures combined with other practices to get you back on your feet and enjoying your life again.

SpineOne provides doctor consultations, MRIs and treatments all from the same facility for your convenience. Same-day appointments are also available upon request.

Visit www.SpineOne.com or call 303.500.8611 today.