What is Sciatica Pain?
Posted on
Jul 08, 2021
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What is Sciatica Pain?
It is pain coming from the spine and radiating outward. Typically, patients will feel this radiating pain in the leg, glutes, and possibly as far as the toes.
Possible Causes
Disc Herniation / Disc Bulge
After age 30, our disc spaces start degenerating. If you fall or pull something, then the outer edge of the disc may rupture. The gel in the outer edge, which acts as a cushion, begins to come out, causing inflammation that affects the nerves.
These nerves radiate down the leg in a certain distribution. At an appointment, we ask you what part of your leg hurts to determine which disc is causing the issue.
Arthritis
The facet joints in the spine may become inflamed which would pinch the nerve. Essentially, the nerve is irritated, so the pain radiates outward.
Treatment Options
It is important to determine treatment options within the first four to six weeks of incurring pain in the sciatica (ex. After a fall). After this time, pain can turn into numbness or tingling, then finally weakness. Once a patient has made it to this stage, it is much more difficult to effectively treat and reverse the pain.
Try on your Own
Give it a little time to heal itself
Take an over-the-counter anti-inflammatory
Use a steroid prescribed by your primary care physician
Epidural Injection
(used only for sciatica pain)
This five-minute procedure is done in-office under fluoroscopy (a type of X-ray machine). The injection consists of Lidocaine (for numbing) and Cortizone (for anti-inflammation).
There are three places an epidural can be injected based on the cause of the sciatica pain as well as the integrity of the spine. The injection minimizes inflammation, thereby reducing nerve irritation. Under the X-ray machine, we first inject a minute amount of picture dye so we can verify the correct flow of medication, then we inject the actual medicine.
Within one to five days, a patient will achieve the maximum benefit of relief. From there, patients are referred to a physical therapist, who will teach them specific exercises to strengthen the spine. Typically, after four or five of these sessions, a patient will be ready to continue doing them on their own.
Neurosurgical Consultation
If an epidural does not work, then it may be necessary to assess the structural integrity of the spine. It may require surgery in some instances.
Spinal Cord Stimulator
In this procedure, leads are placed in the epidural space to mask the pain. First, the leads are tried out, then they are implanted.
The procedure is also done in the office and lasts about five minutes.
What is Sciatica Pain?
It is pain coming from the spine and radiating outward. Typically, patients will feel this radiating pain in the leg, glutes, and possibly as far as the toes.
Possible Causes
Disc Herniation / Disc Bulge
After age 30, our disc spaces start degenerating. If you fall or pull something, then the outer edge of the disc may rupture. The gel in the outer edge, which acts as a cushion, begins to come out, causing inflammation that affects the nerves.
These nerves radiate down the leg in a certain distribution. At an appointment, we ask you what part of your leg hurts to determine which disc is causing the issue.
Arthritis
The facet joints in the spine may become inflamed which would pinch the nerve. Essentially, the nerve is irritated, so the pain radiates outward.
Treatment Options
It is important to determine treatment options within the first four to six weeks of incurring pain in the sciatica (ex. After a fall). After this time, pain can turn into numbness or tingling, then finally weakness. Once a patient has made it to this stage, it is much more difficult to effectively treat and reverse the pain.
Try on your Own
Give it a little time to heal itself
Take an over-the-counter anti-inflammatory
Use a steroid prescribed by your primary care physician
Epidural Injection
(used only for sciatica pain)
This five-minute procedure is done in-office under fluoroscopy (a type of X-ray machine). The injection consists of Lidocaine (for numbing) and Cortizone (for anti-inflammation).
There are three places an epidural can be injected based on the cause of the sciatica pain as well as the integrity of the spine. The injection minimizes inflammation, thereby reducing nerve irritation. Under the X-ray machine, we first inject a minute amount of picture dye so we can verify the correct flow of medication, then we inject the actual medicine.
Within one to five days, a patient will achieve the maximum benefit of relief. From there, patients are referred to a physical therapist, who will teach them specific exercises to strengthen the spine. Typically, after four or five of these sessions, a patient will be ready to continue doing them on their own.
Neurosurgical Consultation
If an epidural does not work, then it may be necessary to assess the structural integrity of the spine. It may require surgery in some instances.
Spinal Cord Stimulator
In this procedure, leads are placed in the epidural space to mask the pain. First, the leads are tried out, then they are implanted.
The procedure is also done in the office and lasts about five minutes.
