Sciatica affects millions — as many as 40% of adults — with most cases occurring as people age. While some mild cases of sciatica clear up with a little home care, there are times when medical treatment is necessary to prevent complications. Recognizing when to get an evaluation is essential for finding relief from your pain and preventing it from getting worse.
Zaid Malik, MD, leads the team at Superior Pain Relief, where we help patients find the right solution to sciatic nerve pain to help them feel better and prevent more symptoms in the future. In this post, we provide a brief overview of sciatica, including why it happens and how to tell when it’s time to seek medical treatment.
A common cause of low back pain, sciatica occurs when the sciatic nerve is irritated or compressed. Originating from your lower spine, the sciatic nerve is the longest, thickest nerve in your body, traveling through your hips and buttocks and extending all the way down your legs.
If you have sciatica, you probably have a deep back ache, along with sharp, shooting pain that begins in your lower back and extends at least partway down the nerve into your buttock, hip, or leg. Sometimes, pain is accompanied by tingling, numbness, pins-and-needles sensations, or muscle weakness in the leg or foot.
Sciatica almost always affects just one side of your body. That’s because when the nerve exits your spine, it splits into two branches, each traveling down a different leg. Symptoms typically feel worse when sitting or lying on your back, positions that can narrow the space around the nerve where it exits your spine.
The sciatic nerve can become irritated or compressed due to a herniated disc in your lower back. Other possible causes include:
In addition to age, risk factors include repetitive heavy lifting or bending, prolonged sitting or sedentary lifestyle, obesity, and conditions that affect your nerves, like diabetes.
While some cases of sciatic nerve pain resolve with over-the-counter medications, gentle stretching, and activity modifications, there are times when sciatica requires medical treatment in order to relieve symptoms and prevent permanent nerve damage.
Schedule an evaluation with the interventional pain management specialists at Superior Pain Relief if your symptoms:
If you have significant weakness or loss of muscle strength in your leg, if you develop pain in both legs, or if you start to notice problems with bowel or bladder control, these are symptoms that require urgent medical care.
During your evaluation, we review your symptoms and perform a physical exam, and we may order diagnostic imaging to gain in-depth information about your symptoms. Electrodiagnostic studies including nerve conduction studies can be useful in some instances, as well.
Sciatica is common, and that can make it seem as though it’s not that big a deal. But early medical treatment is the best way to prevent complications that can arise from sciatic nerve pain.
To learn how we can help you manage sciatica symptoms and prevent nerve damage, request an appointment online or over the phone today with Dr. Malik and the team at Superior Pain Relief in Baytown, Willis, and The Woodlands, Texas.
