Could Your Pain Be Sciatica?

For many people, you will likely experience some type of back pain in your life, especially as you age. Pain that is located in the lower back area and extends down your leg is often diagnosed as sciatica. However, it can be misdiagnosed for other pain conditions. Let’s take a closer look at what sciatica is and the importance of diagnosing it correctly.

What is Sciatica?

Sciatica, also known as lumbar radiculopathy, is a condition caused by weakness, inflammation, or sensory changes along the sciatic nerve pathway. Being the longest nerve in the body, when injured/out of place the sciatic nerve can make it difficult to do almost every movement, from standing to sitting to walking. Sciatic pain can be prompted when pressure is placed against the nerves around it, pressure that might be the result of an injury, spinal stenosis, or from a herniated disk or bone spur. The pain medicine specialists at Innovative Pain & Spine in Lincoln and Omaha, Nebraska are experienced in diagnosing and treating Sciatica.

What are the Symptoms of Sciatica?

Sciatica can vary from a mild ache to severe pain. The pain can be felt in the lower part of the spine, in the buttocks, and extend down the leg to the foot. It usually only affects one side of your body. Common symptoms you might experience include:

• Low back pain
• Hip pain
• Leg pain
• Pins-and-needles feeling in the area
• Numbness
• Weakness in the leg or foot

Sometimes, symptoms can become more serious, such as severe nerve impingement, bladder incontinence, bowel incontinence, lower extremity weakness, or profound loss of sensation. Loss of bowel or bladder function with sensory deficits and weakness is considered a medical emergency and you should call your provider immediately. 

Diagnosing and Treating Sciatica 

The diagnosis of sciatica can often be determined through a physical and neurological exam. You may be asked to walk or raise your leg so our providers can observe your movements to determine when and where you experience pain. This can help to identify if there is a problem with a disc or some other root cause attributing to the pain.

Innovative Pain & Spine providers may also choose to evaluate your condition through one of the following procedures:

X-ray

CT Scan 

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

An MRI is considered the standard test used to evaluate bones, joints, discs, tissues, and nerves in the lumbar spine.

Depending on the severity of pain and location, our providers will often use a combination of therapies – ranging from physical therapy and anti-inflammatory medications to epidural steroid injections – to reduce the nerve inflammation and pain.

There are other pain conditions that can mimic sciatica and are often misdiagnosed, such as sacroiliac joint dysfunction, hip osteoarthritis, and piriformis syndrome (pelvic muscle spasm). This is why the specialists at Innovative Pain & Spine perform a thorough evaluation to avoid a misdiagnosis.

Find Relief Today

If you are suffering from pain that starts in the lower back and extends down one leg, it may be time to find out if you have sciatica. Call the pain medicine experts at Innovative Pain & Spine Specialists in Lincoln and Omaha, Nebraska at 402-413-5010 and schedule an appointment today.