What To Do for Your Sciatica

If you suffer from sciatica, don’t despair as there are some effective pain relief options for your pain and discomfort. According to Harvard Medical School, 90% of patients suffer from this bothersome condition. And luckily these days we have a variety of treatment options to choose from.

In this helpful guide, David Wu, MD, with offices in Torrance, California, you’ll learn more about your treatment options for sciatica pain relief. And from there, you and Dr. Wu can decide on the treatment option that’s best for you.

Diagnosing sciatica

Before we treat your sciatica we need to diagnose it first. We’ll need to run a few tests, including an X-ray scan (MRI or CT) and a physical exam performed by Dr. Wu. And while there is no way to prevent sciatica from coming back, so while you may not be completely pain free, you can still treat and manage your condition. 

How sciatica forms

Sciatica generally begins with a bone spur on your spine or a herniated disc, which can compress your nerves, causing pain and other unwanted symptoms. Because sciatica usually only affects one side of your back, you’ll find yourself experiencing symptoms like lower back pain, buttocks pain, and a tingling, numbing, or shooting pain in either of your legs and calves. Additionally, sciatica causes inflammation in your back and can be quite uncomfortable.  

Treating Sciatica

Most patients have a mild case of sciatica and don’t need invasive surgery or strong narcotics, which can be trying on the body. Some of the treatments for milder cases of sciatica include:

• Physical therapy
• Rest
• Heat and ice therapy 
• Steroid injections
• Stretching exercises and yoga
• Oral medications such as muscle relaxers, over the counter anti-inflammatories, like Motrin® and Advil®, and antidepressants

While most people do have a milder case of sciatica, you may find that your illness is much more severe. In this case, you may need hip surgery to fix a compressed nerve or a herniated disc. Surgery for sciatica helps by either removing the bone spur or repairing the herniated disc that’s been damaged.

Regardless of the treatment option that you and Dr. Wu decide on, you will need to get your sciatica treated as soon as possible. Leaving your sciatica to progress can lead to urinary and fecal incontinence, weakness in your back and legs, and a progression of symptoms. 

Preventing sciatica

Sometimes sciatica is a hereditary or unavoidable injury that you simply can’t avoid. Whether you have a predisposition to the condition or not, you’ll want to take a few steps to prevent it from developing, including:

• Exercising regularly to prevent pain and stiffness
• Lifting weights and performing exercises that keep your back, abs, and core strong
• Quitting or avoiding smoking as it can lead to disc degeneration
• Take frequent breaks if you work in an office jobs or if you spend long hours at a computer during the day

For more information on treating and preventing sciatica, contact us, by either booking an appointment online or over the phone with the office of David Wu, MD, today.