Sciatica

A pinched nerve can cause chronic lower back pain that radiates into your buttocks and down the back of your legs. At Liberty Pain Associates in Flower Mound and Fort Worth, Texas, pain management specialist Sathya Bhandari, MD, uses conventional and interventional pain treatments to relieve sciatica symptoms. Call the nearest office today or schedule an appointment online to learn more.

What is sciatica?

Sciatica is pain that radiates through the sciatic nerve, which runs from your lower back through the back of your legs. As the longest nerve in your body, the sciatic nerve is vulnerable to compression. The pain may worsen when you sit for long periods of time or perform certain activities.

What are the symptoms of sciatica?

While sciatica symptoms vary, common signs include:

• Pain in the lower back, buttocks, or back of the leg
• Numbness or weakness
• Pain that feels worse when you move
• Tingling in your feet

In rare instances, sciatica can impact your bladder and bowel control. This phenomenon, called cauda equina syndrome (CES), occurs when nerves in the lumbar (lower back) and sacral (tailbone) spine become damaged.

What causes sciatica?

Many injuries and conditions can cause sciatica, including:

Spinal stenosis

Spinal stenosis is a long-term condition that causes the spinal canal to narrow and put pressure on the spinal cord nerves.

Herniated disc

A herniated disc can develop when the outer shell breaks down, causing the softer center to push through and irritate surrounding nerves.

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis causes joint inflammation from cartilage breaking down. As two connecting bones start rubbing together, bone spurs can grow and irritate nerves in your spine.

Many factors can increase your risk of sciatica, including excess weight, previous injuries, and inactivity.

What are the treatments for sciatica?

After performing a complete physical assessment that includes imaging scans and bloodwork, Dr. Bhandari may recommend one or more of the following sciatica treatments:

Epidural steroid injection (ESI)

An ESI involves injecting anti-inflammatory medication and anesthetics directly into the epidural space of your spine to treat damaged nerve endings.

Lysis of adhesions

Lysis of adhesions is a minimally invasive treatment that helps remove scar tissue around a painful nerve to accelerate healing.

Nerve stimulation

Dr. Bhandari provides targeted nerve stimulation to treat damaged nerves. The treatment involves placing a stimulator in your lower back that releases electrical pulses to disrupt pain signals.

At Liberty Pain Associates, Dr. Bhandari invests in the latest technology from high-quality brands, like Boston Scientific™, Nevro™, and Stimwave®, to relieve chronic lower back pain from sciatica.

Call Liberty Pain Associates today or schedule an appointment online to learn more about sciatica relief.