Lumbar radiculopathy is a condition of the sciatic nerve. This nerve is one of the longest in the body and extends from the low back and into the buttocks, legs, feet, and even hips. For this reason, pain from lumbar radiculopathy - also known as sciatica - can be felt in many different areas. Sciatica is frequently paired with another musculoskeletal condition that is putting pressure on the sciatic nerve.
Patients can develop the condition if the sciatic nerve is pinched. This can occur due to trauma, such as a car accident, but it is usually caused by an underlying condition of the spine. For example, a herniated disc, spinal stenosis (narrowing of the spinal canal), or a bone spur may push into the nerve, causing irritation.
Patients with sciatica often experience weakness in their legs and may feel pain along with numbness or tingling as well. Another common symptom of sciatica is that patients may feel pain shooting or radiating down into the backs of the legs and feet. For this reason, mobility may be impaired, and the patient could have a difficult time walking. The pain is usually fairly constant, but it may feel worse when sitting down for long periods of time. In some cases, sciatica may interfere with bladder or bowel movements.
Because sciatica is often caused by another condition, the physicians at Tulsa Pain may treat both the condition and the sciatica pain symptoms. One option would be to prescribe anti-inflammatory medication to help relieve pressure off the compressed nerve. This can also be achieved through a lumbar epidural steroid injection as well. Injections provide longer-lasting pain relief than traditional medication and do not have as many side effects. In some cases, patients may need spine surgery to remove bone spurs or correct any other anomaly of the spine. Tulsa Pain also offers alternative treatment options. For example, patients can have acupuncture in order to help mitigate their sciatica pain. However, our physicians have found that utilizing alternative medicines along with their clinical pain treatment plan may provide the best results.
