Sciatica

Sciatica causes shooting pain that extends from the lower back into your leg. Visit board-certified neurosurgeon Praveen Reddy, MD, M.Ch, and the team at the Center for Minimally Invasive Neurosurgery, PLLC, which has five prominent offices in Spring, Conroe, Kingwood, Willis, The Woodlands, Texas, if you develop sciatica symptoms. The team has extensive expertise in minimally invasive surgery techniques that relieve the nerve compression causing sciatica. Call the nearest Center for Minimally Invasive Neurosurgery, PLLC, office to request a sciatica evaluation or book an appointment online today.

What is sciatica?

Sciatica is a common musculoskeletal problem caused by pressure on the sciatic nerve in your back. This large nerve runs from the lumbar (lower) spine through the buttocks, with one branch then going down each leg. Pressure on the nerve causes symptoms like:

• Pain

• Tingling

• Prickling

• Pins-and-needles sensation

• Numbness

• Weakness

• Loss of function

Symptoms spread down the leg along the nerve’s path. Usually, sciatica affects one leg, but it can develop in both. The pain, which is shooting or electric-shock-like, is often worse in the buttock and leg than in the lower back.

Why am I affected by sciatica?

Sciatica results from something pinching the sciatic nerve as it exits your spine (lumbar radiculopathy). This is usually a bone, disc, ligament, or other tissue that’s led to  spinal stenosis (narrowing of the spinal canal). Common conditions that trigger sciatica include:

• Herniated discs

• Bone spurs (osteophytes)

• Osteoarthritic changes

• Spinal tumors

• Thickened ligaments

Poorly managed diabetes increases your risk of developing nerve damage and sciatica. You’re also more likely to get it if you have excess body weight, smoke, are pregnant, or spend a lot of time sitting, lifting, or twisting.

What can I do to ease sciatica pain?

Rest is important to reduce nerve pressure and inflammation, but inactivity will worsen your condition. Gently moving, using ice packs, and taking anti-inflammatory medications should help to ease mild sciatica. If it doesn’t, or you’re in severe pain, visit the Center for Minimally Invasive Neurosurgery, PLLC, for an accurate diagnosis.

You might need a physical therapy referral or an epidural steroid injection. Steroids like cortisone have powerful anti-inflammatory properties, offering long-term pain reduction. Your injection might also contain a local anesthetic to give you a short period of complete pain relief.

If nothing else works, you might benefit from  minimally invasive surgery  for sciatica.

What surgeries treat sciatica?

The surgery you need for sciatica depends on what’s causing the sciatic nerve compression, how bad it is, and factors like your age and health.

If you have a herniated disc, microdiscectomy (partial disc removal) or discectomy (complete disc removal) might be necessary. For other causes of spinal stenosis, lumbar decompression — removing bone and ligament to make space for the nerves — is likely the best option. You may also need fusion or an artificial disc replacement to stabilize the spine.

Call the Center for Minimally Invasive Neurosurgery, PLLC, to request a sciatica evaluation or schedule a consultation using the online booking feature today.