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Woodbury is a small town in Washington County, Minnesota. There are a substantial number of people suffering from sciatica in Woodbury. If you have symptoms of sciatica, such as lower back pain, you should see a specialist. Symptoms and signs of sciatica: The most common symptoms are lower back pain and radiating leg pain (if there is radiation, it may indicate a herniated disc pressing on the nerve root). The patient may also have numbness or tingling in different parts of their leg (it depends precisely on the nerve root’s compression).
If you have sciatica, several treatments can help alleviate your condition:
Table of Contents
Pain Management
Pain is not a disease, but it can be unbearable. You should ask your doctor to prescribe you the right medicines. The pain may range from discomforting to incapacitating, so you should take care of yourself and listen to your body. Do not take more than the recommended dosage for painkillers, because otherwise you will feel drowsy, and your muscles will react slowly.
Pregabalin (Lyrica) is an anticonvulsant drug that can be prescribed for the pain associated with sciatica. Other analgesics such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen may also reduce the pain.
Physical Therapy
Physical therapy can help you improve your flexibility, strength, and range of motion. A physical therapist may also suggest some exercises to relieve the pressure on the sciatic nerve during daily activities. The exercises may include some back stretches, some yoga postures, and specific exercises. If you have a herniated disc causing the pain, your doctor may suggest an epidural steroid injection.
Epidural Corticosteroid Injections
A specialist will administer the injections. The purpose of the injection is to reduce inflammation and pain. However, steroid injections do not prevent a possible surgery in the future. Epidural corticosteroid injections are usually administered in the radicular pain that follows sciatica. The injection is performed by inserting a needle into the space around the nerve root to deliver local anesthetic and corticosteroid medicine directly in the painful area.
Ice and Heat Therapy
Ice therapy is usually used to treat acute pain, while heat therapy reduces chronic pain. Heat can stimulate circulation, relieving muscle spasms. Cold compresses are typically applied to the affected area after any heavy activities or exercise; they reduce inflammation and swelling.
Surgery
If you have continued pain after trying different treatments or your pain has worsened with time, surgery may become an option for you. There are various techniques available, depending on the cause of your sciatica. If you have a herniated disc, decompression procedures remove the excess material to relieve pressure on the nerve root. Your doctor may also suggest a laminectomy to remove part of the bone in your spine that compresses the nerve root. A microdiscectomy is another option, where the surgeon removes only the portion of the intervertebral disc, causing compression. A stent may be inserted during a microdiscectomy to protect the adjacent nerves.
In rare cases, your surgeon will need to perform a fusion surgery if you have spinal instability or scoliosis. This surgery is required if your spine is unstable, even after the initial surgery. Surgeries should only be performed when other treatment options have not been effective, or you are suffering too much due to pain. Consult your doctor to see whether you may benefit from any of the available treatments for sciatica.
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