If you have chronic pain in your legs and back that feels dull or throbbing, it may be due to inflammation in your sciatic nerve. This nerve is the culprit for pain in millions of people and can make standing, sitting, and walking uncomfortable and difficult. It’s always a good idea to consult with a reputable back pain specialist near you to make sure that there are no other underlying issues and to get pain relief and proper medical attention.
Pain Management
Getting to the root cause of the pain and starting an effective treatment to relieve the pressure are possible if you see a specialist who understands the sciatic nerve. Patients can get access to more treatment options by seeing a neurologist for sciatica. The Medical Clinics of New York City offers skilled neurologists who can help.
Symptoms and Causes of Sciatica
The symptoms of sciatica may also look like other conditions, so it’s important to have a neurologist evaluate your pain. The most common sign of sciatica is pain that emits from the lower spine and along the back of the leg, almost in a line. Sometimes, instead of pain, patients feel a numb sensation in the area. The pain may come and go, and it may intensify if someone has to sit in one place for a long time.
Acute Pain
Sciatica may be associated with several conditions or injuries. Pregnant women may experience temporary sciatica due to the pressure the baby is placing on the sciatic nerve or the joints loosening. A herniated disc may also be the root cause of the pain. Bone spurs from osteoarthritis or degenerative disc disease in the spine may also lead to symptoms of sciatica. At the Medical Clinics of New York City, our medical doctors can find out what causes the problem and offer sciatica pain relief.
Relief at Home for Mild Discomfort
For mild sciatica, there are things you can do at home to get some temporary relief. One of the first steps to take when you have mild sciatic nerve pain is to rest. If you have an intense exercise routine and lift heavy weights, it may be wise to take a few days or weeks off if you’re experiencing sciatic nerve pain.
Back Pain
If the pain continues, some patients have gotten relief from taking an anti-inflammatory medication, such as Ibuprofen. You can also try to alternate applying heat packs and cold packs to the area to get some relief. If the sciatica is a persistent problem, it may also be beneficial to try gentle stretches in the lower back to help take some pressure off the nerve.
How To Prevent Sciatica Flare-Ups
With some cases of sciatica, it’s impossible to prevent the nerve from becoming inflamed and causing pain and discomfort. Some patients may be able to lower their risk of suffering from this type of pain if they make a few lifestyle changes. Smoking increases your risk of having issues with sciatica, so it’s always a good idea to quit. Being overweight may also put more pressure on the nerve, so losing weight and developing a healthier lifestyle may also help.
Professional Medical Advice
Patients with a sedentary lifestyle are also at risk of developing sciatic nerve pain. The solution is to make sure you don’t sit in one spot for hours at a time and to start a daily exercise routine. Women who wear high heels regularly may also be putting themselves at a higher risk of having a problem with sciatica. Additionally, your mattress may also be too soft, which could result in problems with sciatic nerve pain.
Signs You Need a Medical Specialist
When your sciatica doesn’t seem to go away with heat, ice, rest, and stretching, it may be time to see a doctor about your symptoms. An experienced auto accident doctor may be able to help treat sciatica that occurs after a collision. It’s a good idea to find a neurology specialist for your pain if the discomfort worsens and makes your daily tasks more difficult.
If you continue to ignore a chronic case of sciatic nerve pain, it could make things worse. There is a possibility of permanent nerve damage if you don’t treat a severe case of sciatica. In extreme cases, sciatica could even cause numbness to the entire leg, bladder control problems, and bowel control issues.
Neurologist for Sciatica in New York City
Some patients start by seeing their primary care physician for sciatica. While a primary care doctor can help treat acute problems, it’s best to see a specialist for a chronic nerve pain issue. The best type of specialist to see for sciatica issues is a neurologist. Neurologists focus on treating conditions related to the brain, nervous system, and spinal cord. This type of doctor is not the same thing as a neurosurgeon, who performs surgery on the brain or spinal cord. A neurologist may work side by side with some types of surgeons if surgery is an optimal option for treatment of neurological conditions.
Back Pain Treatment
Since sciatica is primarily a disorder involving the sciatic nerve, these specialists offer the most expertise in diagnosing and treating sciatic nerve pain. Additionally, neurologists are familiar with various pain management strategies that can help soothe the discomfort and get people back to doing daily tasks without being in pain. At the Medical Clinics in New York City, patients have access to back specialists and neurological care from a multi-disciplinary team of medical specialists.
Back Pain Treatment Options in New York
Your neurologist and your primary care physician may work together to develop a viable treatment plan for sciatica. Physicians usually start with nonsurgical options, such as over-the-counter pain medication. If that doesn’t work, your doctor may prescribe prescription pain medication or a steroid injection to help ease the discomfort. Next, some patients can be referred to a physical therapist to start targeted exercises to release the nerve pressure and relieve sciatica back pain.
Alternative therapies, such as yoga or acupuncture, may also be incorporated into a treatment plan. A small number of patients may need to have surgery to help with severe sciatic nerve pain. The surgeries associated with sciatica are a diskectomy and a laminectomy, which are spinal cord procedures.
Talk With Back Pain Specialists Today!
Living with constant sciatic nerve pain is not something you have to suffer through. Talk to the team at the Medical Clinics of New York City and make an appointment with experienced back doctors to get a treatment plan that will work for you. We accept most insurance plans including workers’ compensation, no-fault (auto accidents), PIP (personal injury protection), and medical liens. New patients are accepted and same-day appointments may be available.
