Sciatica Treatment

Are you experiencing nerve pain along your lower back and/or down the back of one or both legs? You may be experiencing sciatica, which is a type of pain that stems from the sciatic nerve located in the same region. Contact our team of experts at AICA Orthopedics to find sciatica treatment for your symptoms.

Sciatica can cause a variety of pains and discomforts along the lower body, typically along one side of the body. These pains can make it difficult to sit and stand, can cause a tingling sensation down the leg, and can make it difficult to move the affected legs and feet.

Sciatica treatment includes a variety of methods, including medication, physical therapy, steroid injections, and surgery from an orthopedic surgeon. The sciatica treatment recommended will vary based on the severity of your sciatica. AICA Orthopedics consists of multiple doctors that can provide all of the major treatment and solutions you’ll need for your sciatica symptoms. We can provide a number of diagnostic and imaging tests to receive accurate treatment from specialists. Contact us today to learn more about sciatica and the best treatments for your unique situation.

What Causes Sciatica?

Sciatica presents itself when the sciatic nerve (located in the lower back and legs area) has been pinched in some way. The sciatic nerve is commonly pinched when an individual has a herniated disc. In some cases, an overgrowth of bone (known as a bone spur) on the vertebrae can also pinch the sciatic nerve and cause sciatica.

Some risk factors can impact the likelihood of getting sciatica, including, but not limited to age, obesity, diabetes, and prolonged periods of sitting.

The best ways to prevent getting sciatica is to exercise on a regular basis, use proper body movements (especially when lifting heavy loads), and maintaining good posture as you sit. You can also improve your spinal health by being under regular chiropractic care to ensure no nerves are being pinched in your back and neck.



Symptoms of Sciatica

The symptoms of sciatica can range from a simple, uncomfortable, mild ache to sharper sensations similar to a feeling of being burned. In some cases, the pain can be excruciating and unbearable. There are a variety of common symptoms of sciatica which include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • A burning and/or tingling sensations that runs down the leg
  • A feeling of weakness and/or numbness in the foot or leg
  • Inability to move the leg or foot with ease
  • Pain along the side of the rear that is consistent
  • Any pain that makes it challenging to stand up
  • Pain in the hip area
  • Any pain in the leg and/or rear that worsens when seated

If you experience any of the following symptoms you should see a doctor immediately:

  • Difficulty controlling the bladder and bowel movements
  • Sciatic pain immediately following a major accident, such as a car accident
  • Numbness or muscle weakness in the lower back and/or leg that appears suddenly and with severe amounts of pain

Generally speaking, sciatica will only impact one side of the lower body, although it occasionally can affect both sides (such as both hips, both legs, etc.). In most scenarios, the pain will begin at the lower back and work its way through the thigh and leg. The foot and toes can also be affected by sciatica pain depending on where the sciatic nerve has been impacted.

Diagnostics

CT scan

Pain associated with sciatica can be well addressed with the use of diagnostic tests such as the CT scan, which will show your physician a composite view of your pain and injury that may be associated with sciatica.

LEARN MORE
x-ray

In other cases, your physician may recommend an x-ray to see the full picture of the area of your spine that has been harmed. An x-ray uses magnets and radiation to form a visual of your injuries.

LEARN MORE

Diagnosing Sciatica with Tests and Imaging

To accurately determine whether you have sciatica (or another condition) and the severity of sciatica, a variety of diagnostic and imaging tests need to be conducted.

In most cases, the first tests conducted are an x-ray or computed tomography scan (CT scan or CAT scan). These help the doctor locate potential bone overgrowths (known as a bone spur) that is pressing against a nerve. Sometimes the CT scan includes a contrast dye injection called a CT myelogram to help increase imaging during the x-ray.

If your doctor determines that it’s not sciatica or that other medical conditions are responsible for your symptoms (such as disc herniation or spinal stenosis), an MRI may be recommended. MRIs provide more detailed images of the bone and softer tissues (including herniated discs).

To test the nerves and responsiveness of the muscles, electromyography (EMG) may be done. This can help a doctor analyze compression of the nerves or narrowing of the spinal canal, which can be caused by a herniated disc.

Get Sciatica Treatment Today with AICA Orthopedic

In some cases, sciatica pain can go away on its own, with time and proper self-care practices. However, for the best results and to ensure that sciatica is treated correctly, you will want to visit a healthcare professional. AICA Orthopedics has a variety of healthcare specialists that can provide expert care to any individual seeking relief from sciatica. Along with proper self-care practices, our doctors may recommend physical therapy, chiropractic care, surgery, or non-surgical injections depending on the severity of your sciatica. When you work with AICA Orthopedics, you’ll have access to multiple doctors across different medical fields to help with sciatica symptom relief.

Chiropractic

Chiropractic specialists help to realign the spine and body to its natural state which will improve its ability to heal itself, rather than having to use invasive or medication-based treatment. Treatment for sciatica may involve multiple specialists, but chiropractic is a great place to start for finding relief from sciatica symptoms. With sciatic nerve compression, chiropractic will help to reduce or eliminate that pressure, making chiropractic an effective form of treatment.

LEARN MORE
Neurology

Neurology specialists are experts at understanding and navigating treatments for the nervous system. Sciatica is a nerve-related condition, making a neurologist a go-to specialist to visit when getting to the root of sciatica symptoms.

LEARN MORE
Interventional Spine

Some cases of sciatica can be caused by a condition that is outside of the treatment scope of chiropractic. Interventional spine treatment may be recommended by your doctor. This includes epidurals, facet injections, stimulators, radiographic or ultrasonic guidance injections, and more.

LEARN MORE
Orthopedic

For a small percentage of sciatica cases, orthopedic surgery may be the best option available for relief, such as a discectomy or laminectomy, both of which removes the source of the pain of sciatica, from herniated discs to bone spurs to other tissues creating pressure against the nerves.

LEARN MORE

Contact us at AICA Orthopedics to learn more about sciatica treatment options for you! A variety of recommendations can be made on how best to treat your sciatica, from visiting specific specialists to lifestyle changes to physical therapy and more.

Visit one of our 17 Metro Atlanta Locations

Winder

16 Lee St Winder, GA 30680

McDonough

259 Jonesboro Rd McDonough, GA 30253

Lawrenceville

217 Scenic Hwy S, Lawrenceville, GA 30046

Stone Mountain

1000 Main Street, Ste C Stone Mountain, GA 30083

Macon

626 1st St Macon, GA 31201

Newnan

2700 Highway 34 East Newnan, GA 30265

Duluth

3775 Venture Drive, Building F Duluth, GA 30096

Chamblee Tucker

3166 Chestnut Drive Connector, Suite 100, 200 Atlanta, GA 30340

College Park

1624 Virginia Avenue College Park, GA 30337

Conyers

2375 Wall Street Southeast #135 Conyers, GA 30013

Jonesboro

750 Mount Zion Road Jonesboro, GA 30236

Kennesaw

3825 Cherokee Street Northwest Kennesaw, GA 30144

Lithia Springs

530 Thornton Road Lithia Springs, GA 30122

Marietta

1965 North Park Place Southeast, Suite 200 Marietta, GA 30339

Snellville

2346 Wisteria Drive, Suite 110 Snellville, GA 30078

Stockbridge

260 Corporate Center Drive, Suite E Stockbridge, GA 30281

Buckhead

2045 Peachtree Road Northwest, Suite 700 Atlanta, GA 30309