Sciatica:

Sciatica is a descriptive term that means leg pain caused by pressure on a spinal nerve. Frequently (but not always), sciatica pain occurs in the part of the leg receiving sensation from the sciatic nerve, which explains the origin of the term. This pain is usually felt in the buttock, posterior thigh, back or outside of the calf, side of the foot, and heel. Sciatica and herniated discs are strongly associated. If sciatica pain is not present, studies have shown that there is less than a 1/1000 chance that a herniated disc is present. Other diseases that can cause sciatica include nerve root compression from bone spurs, arthritis of the facet joints, scar tissue from previous surgery, or inflammation of the nerve roots themselves which is sometimes seen in viral infections such as shingles.

Treatment of sciatica pain includes conservative therapy initially, including rest, medications, physical therapy, or spinal injections, and symptoms usually resolve in 50% of patients after six weeks. Sciatica pain that does not respond to simple measures may require further therapy. Two of the newest treatments for persistent sciatica caused by herniated or bulging discs are laser disc decompression and endoscopic microdiscectomy and foraminotomy. The laser procedure uses light energy delivered through a small needle to internally shrink the bulging or herniated disc allowing rapid relief of sciatica pain in 80 percent of patients without surgery. For patients with more advanced conditions, including spinal stenosis, large or trapped disc herniations, or “free fragments” of disc, spinal endoscopic techniques may be performed as an outpatient procedure, and are considered by many specialists to be the minimally invasive treatment methods of choice. Together, these exciting advances have made it possible for 95% of patients presenting with disabling sciatica symptoms to avoid open surgery and spinal fusion operations, and enjoy more rapid recovery and return to normal activities. Some cases of sciatica may be caused by other conditions and may require additional measures including nerve blocks, special pain management procedures, or open spinal surgery as a last resort

Specialists at the Foothills Regional Pain Center will determine the specific cause of sciatica pain, and develop a treatment plan for each individual patient. Contact us for additional information or to schedule an appointment with a member of our medical staff.

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