If you’ve ever felt a sharp, electric-like pain shoot from your lower back down your leg, you know how disruptive sciatica can be. Most patients with sciatica overcome their pain within a few weeks, but up to 30% are still experiencing it after a year.
At Advanced Pain Management, we see how this condition affects daily life, interrupts sleep, limits mobility, and makes even short walks uncomfortable. We offer comprehensive treatment for sciatica and other chronic pain conditions that make life more manageable again for people throughout Arizona.
Sciatica (lumbar radiculopathy) refers to pain that passes along the path of your sciatic nerve. This long nerve — the body’s longest — runs from your lower back, through your hips and buttocks, and along each leg. When something irritates or compresses part of the nerve, it causes pain and other unpleasant symptoms that travel down that pathway.
Sciatica isn’t a condition by itself but a symptom of an underlying problem in the lower spine. Several issues can put pressure on or irritate the sciatic nerve, the most common being:
Discs act as cushions between the vertebrae (bones) in your spine. When a bulge or rupture occurs, it can press against a nearby nerve root. Pressure from the herniated disc tissue often triggers the classic shooting pain associated with sciatica.
As we age, our spinal discs lose water and become less flexible. When they become thin and dry, discs can alter the shape of your spine and irritate the nerves, leading to inflammation and pain.
Spinal stenosis is a broad term for problems that cause the space inside your spine to narrow, squeezing nearby nerves. It can cause pain that’s especially noticeable when walking or standing. Disc problems, bone spurs, and thickened ligaments can all cause spinal stenosis.
Other causes of sciatica include bone spurs, muscle inflammation, and injuries from lifting or twisting. It’s also more common in pregnant women and people with weight problems.
People describe sciatica in different ways, depending on which nerves are affected. Most people experience the classic sharp, burning, or stabbing pain in one leg, although sciatica can occasionally affect both legs. The intensity can range from mild discomfort to severe pain that interferes with daily tasks.
Other symptoms include:
In severe cases, sciatica can affect bladder and/or bowel function, causing incontinence.
If sciatica pain lasts more than a few weeks, keeps you from working, or disrupts your sleep, you shouldn’t ignore it. You should seek urgent care if you develop sudden weakness, loss of bladder or bowel control, or severe numbness.
At Advanced Pain Management, we take the time to understand your symptoms and identify the exact cause. We don’t just treat the pain; we treat the source.
We start with a detailed conversation and physical exam. We ask about your pain pattern, daily activities, and medical history. We may order imaging tests, such as MRI or X-rays, to determine what’s pressing on the nerve.
We tailor your sciatica treatment to the cause and severity of your symptoms. Options include:
Stronger muscles support the spine and reduce pressure on irritated nerves. Your physical therapist teaches you targeted exercises that strengthen your core and lower back muscles, while stretching improves flexibility and reduces muscle tension.
Small adjustments to your everyday life can reduce flare-ups and support healing. Aim to:
Bed rest rarely helps with sciatica and can actually slow recovery, while gentle movement often speeds healing.
Anti-inflammatory medications reduce swelling around the nerve. In some cases, we may recommend nerve pain medications to calm severe symptoms.
If inflammation drives your pain, an epidural steroid injection delivers powerful anti-inflammatory medication directly to the irritated area. This targeted approach often provides significant relief and allows you to participate more comfortably in physical therapy.
If conservative treatments don’t provide enough relief, we may recommend advanced interventional procedures, such as radiofrequency ablation or spinal cord stimulation. These treatments focus on calming irritated nerves without major surgery.
Sciatica can feel overwhelming, but you don’t have to let it control your life. We listen carefully and explain your options clearly, so if leg pain limits your work, hobbies, or sleep, now’s the time to act.
Call one of Advanced Pain Management’s offices in Tucson, Phoenix, or the surrounding areas of Arizona, or complete the online form, and let’s help you move more comfortably.
