If you have sciatica, you’re not alone. As many as 40% of Americans develop this painful condition over their lifetime. At Palm Tree Interventional Pain Management, Jason Song, MD, PhD, brings his world-renowned research and training in complex pain conditions and nerve disorders to St. Cloud, and Kissimmee, Florida. To find cutting-edge solutions for your sciatica symptoms, call Palm Tree Interventional Pain Management or schedule an appointment online today.
Your sciatic nerve is a long nerve. It starts in your lower back, runs along your hip, and down into your leg. When this nerve becomes compressed, damaged, or irritated, you can experience sciatica — symptoms that radiate along the nerve’s path.
Sciatica symptoms often include:
In rare situations, you can also experience bladder and bowel dysfunction with sciatica, which requires emergency medical intervention.
Your sciatica could have several causes. The most common include:
Certain factors can also increase your chances of having sciatica, including being overweight and obese, having poor posture, sitting for extended periods, and smoking.
Dr. Song works closely with you to identify the underlying cause of your sciatica symptoms. The first step is reviewing your personal and medical history, then he performs a comprehensive physical exam. These tests often include evaluating your muscle weakness and numbness, and looking for abnormal reflexes.
In addition to your exam, Dr. Song might also recommend imaging tests, like X-rays, CT scans, and MRIs, to confirm his diagnosis.
Dr. Song takes a comprehensive, whole-body approach to managing sciatica symptoms. In some cases, these issues can resolve on their own. But, depending on what’s compressing your sciatic nerve and the severity of your symptoms, he might recommend a combination of treatments, including:
If you have sciatica symptoms that don’t respond to conservative therapies, Dr. Song might recommend spinal surgery, like a discectomy. During this minimally invasive procedure, Dr. Song makes a small incision in your lower back to remove the intervertebral disc that is compressing your sciatic nerve.
To alleviate your sciatica symptoms, call Palm Tree Interventional Pain Management or schedule an appointment online today.
