pic

Sciatica

Sciatica

About Sciatica

As many as 4 in 10 Americans experience shooting lower back pain known as sciatica. At North Point Orthopaedics, with offices in Munster and Crown Point, Indiana, the experienced specialists know how frustrating this kind of pain can be. They offer comprehensive solutions to get you feeling better quickly. To learn more about the nonsurgical and minimally invasive treatment options for sciatica, call the office nearest to you or click the provided online scheduling link now. 

Sciatica Q & A

What is sciatica?

Sciatica is a type of nerve pain that starts in your lower back. When you have sciatica, the lower back pain radiates (shoots down) to your buttock and leg, sometimes going as far as your calf. 

This type of pain can be very intrusive, so it’s important to reach out to North Point Orthopaedics if you experience the symptoms of sciatica.

What are the signs of sciatica?

Sciatica’s path from your lower back and down your leg is only part of the story. Sciatica usually causes a unique kind of sharp pain that many people describe as stabbing or electrical. This pain often intensifies when you walk or make any sudden involuntary movements, such as sneezing or coughing. 

Some people with sciatica experience the following issues in their lower back and leg as well. 

  • Weakness
  • Pins-and-needles sensation
  • Burning sensation
  • Numbness

Sciatica usually happens only on one side of the body.

What causes sciatica?

Sciatica develops when there’s unusual pressure on the sciatic nerve, the body’s longest nerve. The nerve travels from your lower back all the way down each leg. The exact cause of the pressure on the sciatic nerve can vary with the age of the sciatica’s onset. 

In people under the age of 40, lumbar disc herniation when a spinal disc develops a crack and the contents partially leak into the spinal canal is the most common cause of sciatica. 

In people over 40, sciatica is more likely to occur because of bone spurs related to arthritis. 

How is sciatica treated?

Sciatica treatment corrects the cause of your sciatica usually, a herniated disc or bone spurs. Your treatment approach may depend on the degree of damage and the severity of your sciatica symptoms. 

In some cases, precision medicine treatments like platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and stem cell injections may be a good nonsurgical option for healing your damaged sciatic nerve. Precision medicine treatments stimulate a supercharged recovery response within your body, which may lead to nerve healing.

Some cases of sciatica may require a surgical procedure. The North Point Orthopaedics surgeons specialize in minimally invasive procedures to permanently repair spine damage, such as artificial disc replacement, decompression, and discectomy. 

If the shooting pain of sciatica is making your life miserable, reach out to North Point Orthopaedics for compassionate care and effective solutions. Call the office nearest to you or schedule your consultation using the online booking tool now.