Pain that radiates from your low back through your hip and buttock and down the leg may be due to sciatica. The skilled team at Coastal Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine Center offers a conservative approach to sciatica treatment at their two convenient locations in Port St. Lucie and Stuart, Florida. If you think you may have sciatica, call your nearest office.
Sciatica is pain along the sciatic nerve, which is the longest and widest nerve in your body. The sciatic nerve branches from your lumbar spine and travels through your pelvis and down each leg. Most of the time, sciatica affects one side of your body.
The primary symptom of sciatica is shooting pain anywhere along the nerve pathway, which runs between your low back and foot. Sciatica pain most commonly occurs between the buttock and lower leg.
Pain may worsen when you sit, sneeze, or cough and can vary from a dull ache to a sharp jolt like an electric shock. Other symptoms of sciatica include numbness, tingling, and muscle weakness.
Sciatica is a symptom of nerve compression, also called a pinched nerve. The team at Coastal Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine Center treats many conditions that cause sciatica, including:
Less commonly, sciatica is due to nerve compression from a tumor or nerve damage from a disease like diabetes.
First, your doctor at Coastal Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine Center thoroughly reviews your symptoms and medical history. They perform a physical exam and check your muscle strength and reflexes. They may also take tests, such as:
These tests help them confirm a diagnosis of sciatica and rule out other conditions that may be causing your pain.
The team at Coastal Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine Center takes a conservative approach to treatment. Depending on the type and severity of your symptoms, treatment for sciatica may include:
If you experience significant pain and symptoms that don’t respond to treatment, they may recommend surgery to relieve pressure on the nerve.
To find relief from sciatica pain, call Coastal Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine Center today.