Sciatic Nerve Pain

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Sciatic nerve pain, also known as sciatica, is a painful condition that is most commonly indicated by pain that radiates through the leg. Sciatica can be caused by an injury, but sometimes this frustrating condition can be traced to the presence of a degenerative spine condition in the lumbar spine in the lower back. When the sciatic nerve becomes compressed in the spinal column, the regular function of the sciatic nerve is interfered with and sciatic nerve pain is experienced.

Sciatica

The sciatic nerve is the longest and widest in the body. Beginning in the spinal column in the lower back and culminating in the feet, this vital nerve is responsible for innervating many of the muscle groups in the lower body. When the sciatic nerve becomes irritated or compressed, regular function of the nerve is interfered with, which can lead to muscle weakness, numbness or tingling, and significant leg pain.

Sciatic nerve pain is an extremely common condition in older patients because it is frequently caused by a degenerative spine condition in the lower back. Over the years, the intervertebral discs that cushion the spine deteriorate, the vertebral joints that stabilize the spine become arthritic, vertebrae become misaligned, and bone spurs develop in the spinal column. These conditions are all actually asymptomatic by themselves, but when they result in the compression of the sciatic nerve, pain can be experienced.

Treatments

Treatment of sciatic nerve pain is dependent on first identifying the source of the nerve compression – usually with medical imagery technology, such as a CT scan or MRI. Once the doctor has identified the cause of the patient’s discomfort, he or she will normally first attempt to manage the pain conservatively, with a variety of nonsurgical treatments, including:

• Over-the-counter or prescription medications
• Physical therapy or carefully planned low-impact exercises
• Stretching techniques
• Hot or cold compresses
• Hydrotherapy
• Limited rest

For patients who do not find relief through conservative treatment, spine surgery may become an option. Before consenting to an invasive, and potentially unnecessary, open spine surgery, contact Laser Spine Institute to learn about the numerous benefits of our?endoscopic, outpatient sciatic nerve pain treatments.