Lumbar radiculopathy, more commonly known as sciatica, is often mistaken as a health condition, but it actually is a set of untreated symptoms, caused by the compression of the sciatic nerve. This nerve has an important role in leg and foot movement. It begins in the lower back and branches down through your hips, backside and both legs, making it the largest nerve in the human body.
About Sciatica
Around 40% of people in the U.S. experienced some from sciatica during their lifetime, making it a very common condition. Experiencing pain in your lower back that travels to your buttocks and down your legs, could be sciatica, especially if accompanied by numbness in one or both of your legs. Mild symptoms disappear after a couple of days with care like restrained movement and rest, but if even after a couple of days the symptoms prevent you from proceeding with your life as usual, maybe it is time to seek sciatica treatment in New Jersey.
Signs You Might be Suffering from Sciatica
When compressed, this nerve can trigger a set of symptoms. The most common of them being pain that passes through the buttock and travels down the leg, this pain could vary from person to person, some describe it as burning, while others as an electric shock, and for others is like tingling or needles. This pain is normally accompanied by lower back pain.
Some signs that you should monitor and inform your doctor if they last longer than a week, get severe, or worsen are:
- Pain limited to the buttock and leg
- Sharp pain, prickling, burning or tingling, or dull ache
- Worse pain when sitting or standing, but it gets better when lying down
- Sensation of nerve tingling, pins and needles or electric shock down the leg
- Numbness deep within your buttocks
- Weakness in the affected leg
- Legs give out or lose balance
- Difficulty to walk or stand
These symptoms can affect one or both sides of the body, depending on where the nerve is pinched.
What Causes Sciatica?
Sciatica occurs when the sciatic nerve is compressed or pinched, which could be caused by a variety of reasons, the most common going from a herniated disk in the spine, bone spurs, spinal stenosis, to–more rarely, a tumor, or during pregnancy.
Recommendations for Sciatica Pain
When Sciatica pain starts, it’s possible to take care of it with some measures until you can go and see a doctor. Some recommendations are:
- Avoid prolonged siting
- Apply ice for the first 2 to 3 days, then apply heat
- Do not do any heavy lifting
- Do not twist your back after the pain begins
When to Seek Professional Treatment?
Even with care and rest, some conditions require seeking the help of a professional to receive the right treatment. If taking care of the symptoms at home didn’t help to ease them, they last longer than a week, or get worse, it’s time to seek a doctor.
If you present any of the following, seek professional help immediately:
- If the pain gets so severe that makes you unable to move
- If you feel noticeable weakness in the affected leg or legs
- If you lose control of your bladder or bowel
- If you can’t go to the toilet
- If the pain persists during the night or awakens you
Sciatica Treatment in New Jersey
At University Pain & Spine Center, we offer a variety of treatments for sciatica that depend on the cause of the problem, that could range from pain and inflammation treatment, recommendation of physical therapy, or regenerative therapies, to surgery, depending on the cause of the compression, and its specific treatment.
The right treatment depends on the cause of the compression, that’s why our team starts with a comprehensive physical exam as well as diagnostic imaging, to determine the root of the issue, and create a personalized treatment plan, tailored to you, your condition, lifestyle, and recovery goals.
We believe you deserve lasting solutions that restore movement, comfort and quality of life. Our pain management experts are committed to helping patients find relief and regain control of their everyday lives. If you’re experiencing persistent lower back pain or leg numbness, don’t wait for it to get worse, contact us and schedule a consultation to start your recovery process.