At The Spine Care Center, we know how painful and life-disrupting the pain caused by sciatica can be. If you are suffering from sciatica, know that affordable and effective treatment is available. Continue reading below to learn more about the causes, symptoms, and treatment options for sciatica. Don’t hesitate to get in touch with The Spine Care Center to learn more about how we can help you get back to living a pain-free life.
The sciatic nerve runs from your spine, down through the hip and buttocks, and down the leg. If this nerve is compressed, it causes a painful condition called sciatica.
Many different conditions can cause sciatica, including:
- Spinal stenosis (narrowing of the spine)
- Bone spurs in the spine
- Bulging discs
- Injury to the spine
- Diabetic nerve damage
These conditions put pressure on the sciatic nerve, which results in sharp, radiating pain. By treating these conditions, you can relieve the symptoms of sciatica.
Sciatica Symptoms
The most recognizable symptom of sciatica is pain that begins in the hip and runs down into the leg. You may feel this pain continuously, or it may come and go throughout the day. The pain may also vary in intensity, ebbing and flowing throughout the day. Some people may describe the pain as a burning sensation, or as an electric shock that travels down the leg.
You may also experience sciatica symptoms such as:
- Leg weakness
- Tingling or numbness down one leg
- Problems controlling your bowels (in severe cases)
Though mild sciatica may go away on its own, severe sciatica requires expert care.
How Sciatica Is Diagnosed
During your appointment, The Spine Care Center physicians will ask about your pain, including questions about where it is located and when you experience it.
Your doctor may also ask you to walk or perform other simple movements to see how certain kinds of movement affect your pain.
If you have severe pain or your pain hasn’t resolved after treatment, then you may need imaging tests like an X-ray or an MRI to check for other conditions that could be causing your sciatica. Identifying the cause of your pain helps your spine care physician create the best treatment plan for you.
How The Spine Care Center Treats Sciatica
At The Spine Care Center, our highly skilled physicians have advanced training and experience in treating back pain. Sciatica is a very common problem that we treat in our office daily. We have helped thousands of patients in Manassas and the nearby areas find relief from sciatica pain and other spine problems. Our expert physicians have been recognized as Top Doctors repeatedly in both the Washingtonian and Northern Virginia Magazine for their compassionate and dedicated care.
We create a personalized treatment plan for each patient based on the cause of their sciatica, their lifestyle, and their overall health. Your individualized treatment plan may include:
- Medicines to reduce inflammation pain
- Physical therapy to strengthen the back
- Steroid injections to reduce inflammation pain
- Endoscopic surgery or another form of spine surgery to remove bone spurs, herniated discs, or anything else that could be contributing to your pain
- Minimally invasive surgery to fuse spinal bones together
Most of our patients are able to quickly find long-term pain relief for sciatica without spine surgery. We strive to help you find safe, effective treatments that help you return to the activities you love.
Don’t live with the pain of sciatica. Call The Spine Care Center in Manassas today or request an appointment online to take the first steps toward the pain relief you deserve.