What Can I Do for Sciatica Pain?
“What can I do for my sciatica pain?”. You may be asking yourself this question each and every day your sciatica flares up. In this post, we’ll be discussing the various ways we can help treat your sciatica condition, and also help you best manage your sciatica via at-home care. Read on to learn more about sciatica treatment options and how Neurosurgery & Spine Consultants can help you on your journey towards health and wellness.
Start with Testing the Affected Area
Here at Neurosurgery & Spine Consultants, we go about diagnosing the severity of your sciatica via a variety of tests to best determine the next course of action with a treatment plan. You’ll find our comprehensive assessments to be some of the most thorough and focused on positive outcomes over the long term. Now, let’s explore our testing methods.
X-Rays for Sciatica Pain
X-rays can help reveal various nuanced, mechanical aspects of the spine which may be causing changes in the size of the holes where the nerves of the spine exit. This initial analysis can help us set the stage for the next level of analysis when it comes to treating your sciatica condition.
MRI for Sciatica Pain
An MRI can show us how the delicate soft tissues and nerves are being affected by something such as a herniated disk or a pinched nerve. If there’s an area of concern discovered within the MRI scan, we’ll be able to better understand the origins of your sciatica condition.
CT Scan for Sciatica Pain
If a CT scan is ordered, there may be a dye which is injected into the spinal canal to provide a better visualization of the spinal cord, the spinal nerves, and how everything is functioning internally.
EMG (Electromyography) for Sciatica Pain
To confirm the severity of a nerve root injury, an EMG will likely be ordered. This test allows us to measure the electrical impulses produced by nerves and their subsequent responses of the muscles.
Treatment Options for Sciatica Pain
Now we’ve discussed the tests which are typically utilized for determining the severity of your sciatica condition, let’s go over the various treatment options.
Medications for Sciatica Pain
Medications can be a great way to initially reduce pain, discomfort, and other feelings associated with sciatica flare ups. However, this is only a temporary solution in most cases. The root cause should still be determined and not simply covered up with medications. Some of the most common medications prescribed for sciatica consist of anti-inflammatories and corticosteroids.
Physical Therapy for Sciatica Pain
Physical therapy can be a fantastic, non-surgical option for sciatica treatment. Correcting posture, strengthening your core, increasing flexibility, and improving overall range of motion can do a whole lot of good when it comes to improving your sciatica flare up severity and frequency.
Steroid Injections for Sciatica Pain
Steroid injections can greatly reduce pain and discomfort as you begin to cycle through physical therapy treatment sessions. Corticosteroid injections should be viewed as assistance to your recovery, not a one-stop-shop solution. One injection usually helps to reduce pain by a large margin, yet again, the end goal should be to correct the underlying issue.
Surgery for Sciatica Pain
If all of the above solutions have little to no positive effects on your sciatica condition, it may be time to consider surgery as a solution. This is the last resort in most cases, so you’ll want to discuss this option with your provider and weigh the positives and negatives associated with such a surgery.
Contact Us at Neurosurgery & Spine Consultants
If you’re experiencing moderate to severe sciatica pain and discomfort on a chronic basis, you’ll want to reach out to us using the form below. We’ll be sure to respond to your message as soon as possible. We look forward to hearing from you soon!
DISCLAIMER: No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.