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Sciatica

back painLumbar radiculopathy is the irritation of a spinal nerve caused by an injury or damage to the discs between your vertebrae of your lower back. The term radiculopathy refers to a pinched nerve. Essentially, this back and neck pain condition is a pinched nerve in the spine of your lower back caused by either compression or inflammation following changes in the structure of your spine after an injury or other damage to the area.

This condition is also referred to as sciatica, which is a common type of pain experienced when the sciatic nerve is affected. This large nerve extends from your lower back and down the back of each leg.

Causes

Sciatic pain is caused by the irritation of the nerve root of your lower back (lumbar spine). There are a number of conditions that involve your spine and can affect the nerves, including:

  • Herniated Disc – Each vertebra of your spine are separated by a disc, which is a cushion of support. A disc has a soft, jelly-like center and is encased in a tougher exterior. When there is damage or injury to this area, the disc can rip or rupture, causing the soft center to protrude and compress the nerve root of your spine.
  • Spinal Stenosis – This condition is caused by abnormal narrowing of the lower spinal canal. When this area narrows, pressure is placed on your spinal cord and sciatic nerve roots.
  • Spondylolisthesis – An associated condition of degenerative disc disease, spondylolisthesis is a condition in which one of your vertebra extend forward over another. This extension of spinal bone can pinch your sciatic nerve.
  • Spinal Bone Spurs – This condition is related to the overgrowth of bone on your vertebrae, which can compress or pinch the sciatic nerve.

Symptoms

leg painTypically, sciatica only affects one side of your lower body. It is common for sciatic pain to extend from your lower back, through the back of your thigh, and then down through your leg. Pain varies related to the area of the sciatic nerve affected, therefore, some individuals may also experience pain extending to their feet or toes. Pain can also vary from a mild ache to a sharp and burning sensation, and to excruciating pain. Common symptoms of this condition include:

  • Hip pain
  • Lower back pain
  • Pain in the buttocks or leg that may worsen when sitting
  • Burning or tingling sensations down the leg
  • A constant pain on one side of the buttocks
  • Shooting pains that may make standing up difficult
  • Difficulty moving the leg or foot, numbness, or weakness

Treatments

There are many types of medications that can be prescribed to manage sciatic pain. A comprehensive review of your symptoms by your pain specialist is necessary to determine your pain medication regimen. Although medications are helpful, they are just one component of your pain management plan. The best pain relief results from a variety of specialists working together to target the source of your pain. Additional treatments include:

  • Physical Therapy – When your acute pain is relieved, a physical therapist can design an individualized rehabilitation program to help you get back to your daily activities and prevent future injuries. Your plan may include exercises to correct posture and strengthen the muscles that support your back.
  • Massage Therapy – A massage therapist can apply pressure, tension, vibration, or motion to your body to relieve any pressure or pain you are experiencing.
  • Chiropractic Therapy – A licensed chiropractor can use spinal manipulation to help you achieve maximal spinal mobility. Chiropractors also aim to treat the body as a whole, not just the source of your pain.
  • Epidural Steroid Injections – This is the injection of a corticosteroid medication directly into the area around your affected nerve root. Corticosteroids relieve pain as they suppress the inflammation around your affected nerve.
  • Nerve Stimulation – There are two types of electrical nerve stimulation that are effective for treating chronic pain related to sciatica, peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS) and spinal cord stimulation (SCS). Both use a small pulse generator to send electrical pulses. PNS sends these pulses to the nerves and SCS sends them to the spinal cord. Both interfere with the nerve impulses that are responsible for pain perception, relieving sciatica.

Contact Allied Pain & Spine Institute today to get the relief from sciatica you need and deserve.

 

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Our Patient Reviews

Allied Pain & Spine Institute

5.0

Based on 158 reviews

Michelle T.

I fly in to see Dr. Petros from Southern California.  I wouldn't do so if he wasn't the best there is.  He is compassionate and has always treated me kindly. I can tell he is sincere in the way he talks to me and is diligently looking for solutions that work best with me and my chronic pain needs.  Very out of the box approach, which I appreciate these days!  I would truly recommend Dr. Petros to anyone looking for a Dr. that not only cares about you as a patient but has the confidence and skill set to get results! His office staff is friendly and caring too.  Allied Pain and Spine Institute is the Gold Standard in pain care in my humble opinion!! When I find a doctor that understands the issue and always goes above and beyond to help me, I do what I can to continue seeing them. I am so glad I found this office!!

Louise W.

Dr Petros is amazing!  When he uses a needle his aim is "right on".  He is also very personable, an altogether great guy.  I always find my visits to him to be very informative. I have had both sides of my degenerated back injected (epidural shots) with complete success.  He allows me to have no sedative, which is cool because his jokes and stories in the operating room are really good.  He greatly enjoys his work, and enjoys the difficult challenges of getting a needle into the right place in my back.  My arthritic knee is perhaps more straight-forward, but other doctors have failed to give me pain relief.  Dr Petros studies the structure with ultrasound before injecting it.  The result - instant relief! On my recent visit for a broken back (ski accident) the doctor and staff were very accommodating to help me make a dinner engagement shortly after my appointment.  This is definitely a five-star operation!

Ellie O.

Wow, wonderful doctor!!! I avoid all the doctors like the plague...seriously it makes my blood pressure go up when I have to go but I chose Dr. Vaidya. My friend referred him to me, he's simply the best... TOP NOTCH!!! He turned out to be a breath of fresh air. Dr. Vaidya really stands out head and shoulders above everyone else. I usually don't write reviews but he's so outstanding that I really wanted to do it for him. He's the most honest and caring doctor I have met.  He listens and gives you full attention and committed to find the best individual solution for you. He always goes out of his way to get you the most appropriate treatment and he will make it happen. He's very knowledgeable in his field. He's very professional, friendly, personable and definitely easy to talk to. His integrity is very valuable. He's one of the sharpest and most driven individuals you will ever meet.

Keith M.

Simply the best doctors and staff in the area. I've fought back and neck pain for over 30 years, and Dr. Petros and his team have kept me from the operating table and able to enjoy my life. I've had injections, acupuncture, as well as back braces. He listens to my concerns, cares very deeply for my pain and discomfort, and has successfully treated everything from stenosis, pinched nerves, herniated disks, and even helped me with the symptoms from shingles and lung disease. I couldn't be happier with the care he has given me over the years.

Kaitlin Z.

Dr. Vaidya has changed my life. I am in my late 20s with chronic pain and nothing had worked until I came here. All services here are wonderful and the staff is absolutely amazing. I can't recommend enough!!

Tracy B.

I have been a patient of Dr. Vaidya for a few years after not getting what I needed from other spine and pain doctors. I was looking for a doctor who would think outside the box and come up with some other ways to treat my growing amount of pain. Between Dr. Petros and Dr. Vaidya, they have brought me to a place where my pain is better managed. And let's just talk about bedside manners! I have never met doctors in the past 23 years of this back journey of mine that has as amazing bedside manners as these guys. I have cried and laughed with the team at Allied Spine. The way that I am always greeted and promptly cared for is bar none! The front office staff, and especially Nas, has been a God sent. I would never go anywhere else.

Justin P.

I am a new patient of DR Petros and my experience was great for my first two visits so far. He really takes time to listen to your issues and provides thorough answers and treatment options. The front desk staff are all very nice and respond in a timely manner to requests. Highly recommended all around!

Lisa A.

I have seen Dr. Vaidya for about 2 years. He is an amazing doctor.the attention and care you receive is well over 5 stars. He knows who I am by my face, he knows my health history with out looking in my chart, he remembers conversations we have had at previous appointments. He truly cares for his patients. I will be moving our of state, and will travel back here each month to see doctor Vaidya. I lost my insurance over a year ago and pay out of pocket to see the doctor, it is worth every penny to be treated with respect, as a person and with care. I love all the staff and feel like I am visiting family when I come in for my appointments.

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