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Most people know when they have sciatica, thanks to the sudden pain that travels down their leg. Though sciatica’s severe pain can stop you in your tracks, you can get relief with patient-centered treatment from Michael Rizkalla, MD, Mahmud Ibrahim, MD, and the skilled team at Revive Spine and Pain Center. They offer comprehensive care for sciatica, including physical therapy, cutting-edge interventional treatments, acupuncture, and restorative therapies. Call the office in Marlton, Hamilton Township, East Brunswick and Northfield, New Jersey, or use online booking today to get relief from sciatica.
Back Pain/Sciatica Q & A
What is sciatica?
Sciatica refers to the symptoms caused by a pinched sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve branches as it leaves the spine, traveling through your right and left buttocks and down your legs.
When the sciatic nerve is pinched, you experience lower back pain along with sudden, sharp pain that suddenly goes down one leg. You may also develop tingling sensations and, in severe cases, leg numbness and muscle weakness.
Why do I have sciatica?
Sciatica begins when a problem in your spine pushes against the nerve. The most common causes include:
- Herniated discs
- Degenerative disc disease
- Spinal bone spurs
- Thickened ligaments
- Facet joint arthritis
- Spondylolisthesis (slipped vertebra)
- Spinal stenosis
Though it’s uncommon, you can also have sciatica symptoms when the nerve is pinched by buttock muscles. However, that’s called piriformis syndrome rather than sciatica.
When do I need treatment for sciatica?
You can try self-care, such as applying ice packs to your lower back, gentle stretching, and walking. But you should seek treatment for sciatica when:
- You have severe pain
- Your pain lasts longer than one week
- Movement increases the pain
- Your sciatica occurs after an injury
- You have leg numbness or weakness
You need immediate medical attention if you have difficulty controlling your bladder or bowels.
What treatments improve my sciatica?
Your Revive Spine and Pain Center provider begins by reviewing your medical history and completing a thorough physical examination to diagnose sciatica. They may perform diagnostic imaging or electrodiagnostic testing to evaluate the electrical activity in your muscles and nerves.
Your personalized treatment plan may start with conservative therapies, depending on whether this is your first time for treatment and the severity of your pain. Conservative therapies include medication, physical therapy, and chiropractic techniques.
The Revive Spine and Pain Center team also offers complementary therapies like acupuncture and treatments like platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections that accelerate healing in damaged spinal tissues.
The team specializes in advanced interventional treatments that relieve sciatica by targeting the nerves responsible for your pain. They may recommend:
- Nerve blocks
- Epidural steroid injection
- Radiofrequency ablation
- Spinal cord stimulation
- Minimally invasive discectomy (to repair a herniated disc)
- Minimally invasive disc decompression
Don’t wait to get help for sciatica. Call Revive Spine and Pain Center or request an appointment online to learn more about the cutting-edge treatments that effectively relieve your pain.