Sciatica Treatment

Sciatica Treatment

Sciatica treatment is geared toward managing the symptoms associated with compression of the sciatic nerve, which is the longest and largest nerve in the body. Sciatica is the term used to refer to a set of symptoms felt in the lower back, buttocks, legs, feet, and/or toes when the sciatic nerve is compressed. These symptoms can include shooting pain, tingling, numbness, or muscle weakness in the areas of the body innervated by the affected portion of the sciatic nerve.

Conservative Sciatica Treatment

While sciatica can be debilitating, the symptoms typically respond well to a regimen of conservative, nonsurgical treatment methods. Talk to your doctor about the best way to approach your specific sciatica treatment. In general, conservative methods that many doctors recommend include:

• Physical therapy, exercise, stretching
• Pain medication, over-the-counter or prescription
• Behavior modification, designed to avoid painful activity
• Brief periods of rest, one or two days at most
• Epidural steroid injections, designed to block pain messages from nerve to brain
• Alternative methods such as massage, acupuncture, and chiropractic therapy

Minimally Invasive Sciatica Treatment

If chronic sciatica symptoms don‘t subside after several weeks or months of conservative treatment, consider a consultation with Laser Spine Institute. Our orthopedic specialists have helped tens of thousands of patients rediscover their lives without back and neck pain by performing minimally invasive, outpatient procedures using revolutionary endoscopic techniques. Contact us today to learn more, or for a complimentary review of an MRI or CT scan.