Sciatica occurs when you experience pain from your lower back through the buttocks and into your lower limbs. The pain can be excruciating; even bending to pick your car key can cause debilitating pain, and even performing simple house tasks can become chores. At Polaris Spine & Neurosurgery Center, you will get comprehensive diagnosis and treatment for most Roswell sciatica to help you get back to your normal activities without fear of pain.

Diagnosis of sciatica

Your physician will conduct an examination to check your muscles, strength, and reflexes. If your pain does not improve in a few weeks and the pain becomes chronic, your doctor may conduct the following tests;

X-ray. To reveal any outgrowth of the bone in the spine that might be pressing on the nerves.

MRI. Produces detailed images of your bone and soft tissues, such as herniated disc in your back section

CT scan. It is used to give a clear image of your spine and any irregularities within.

Electromyography. It is used to measure electrical impulses produced by the nerves and muscle responses to confirm nerve compression and narrowing of the spinal canal.

Treatment

After diagnosis, your doctor might give you tips to treat pain, recommend home care treatment, administer some treatment and even perform minimally invasive surgeries to alleviate the pain.

Treatment options include:

Physical therapy. It incorporates a combination of strengthening, stretching, and aerobic conditioning to ease the pain. Its goals for sciatic include;

Strengthening the spine and muscles of the lower back, hip, abdomen, and buttock

To increase your core strength

To stretch tight and inflexible muscles

To encourage the exchange of fluids and nutrients in the body

Medication. The following medication is used to relieve sciatica pain:

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen

Oral steroids such as prednisone

Anticonvulsant and tricyclic antidepressants

Chiropractic therapy. It helps to improve the spine alignment and manage conditions such as spinal stenosis and herniated disc, which contribute to low back pain.

Massage therapy. Types of massage such as deep massage help to ease the pain and provide the following benefits;

Improve blood circulation, which accelerates the healing process

Relaxing tight muscles that contribute to pain

Releases endorphin, which is a natural pain reliever

Epidural steroid injections. They help to alleviate pain stemming from conditions such as herniated and degenerative disc. They help to;

Control inflammatory response around the sciatica nerve

Reduce immune system activities to decrease the production of inflammatory cells

Selective nerve root blocks.  Reduces inflammation and numbs the pain transmitted by the nerve.

Surgery. Used to relieve nerve compression and irritation as follows;

Facetectomy is used to relieve compression on the pinched nerve caused by degenerated facet joints.

Foraminotomy, to remove bone overgrowth

Laminectomy, removal of part or all lamina to give space for spinal nerves

Microdiscectomy used to treat lumbar disc herniation

Cold and hot packs. Heating pads and frozen vegetable packs help to reduce swelling hence relieving sciatica pain in your lower back.

Consult a sciatica specialist today

Sciatic pain can be debilitating in its chronic stages; therefore, severe pain can impact your normal lifestyle negatively. Getting an early diagnosis and treatment can help to alleviate the pain and prevent future back pain. Conduct a team of sciatica specialists at Polaris Spine & Neurosurgery Center in Roswell and perform simple tasks with excruciating pain.