Sciatica, or lumbar radiculopathy, refers to pain that radiates from the point of pressure on the sciatic nerve down through the legs.

The pain is usually caused by a herniated disc or bone spur applying pressure to the sciatic nerve within the spine.

Sciatica pain can range from mild to severe, and can be felt running down all the way from the lower back till the foot or toes. The symptoms of sciatica affect the back, buttocks, hip and leg areas. Pain can be anywhere from mild to severe, and people may experience numbness in the legs or “pins and needles.” most describe radicular pain as a sharp or burning pain that travels down the leg.

It is common to experience sciatica after an injury, and pain can be experienced while performing daily activities, walking, and even while sitting. Common sensations can also include, burning sensation, numbness in the feet and legs weakness in the muscles

Treatment modality can vary depending on each patient’s individual condition, general health and severity of symptoms. In many cases, the first approach is medical treatment of your condition using systemic and oral drugs and topical applications, local injections may also be of help for your condition. For severe cases of sciatica, minimally invasive surgery may be necessary to relieve debilitating pain or to prevent the condition from worsening over time.

If symptoms are severe and more conservative approaches do not provide you with enough relief; at ECC, we will recommend surgical treatment. This may include disc suction-excision or a miniature endoscopic discectomy, in which a portion of the herniated disc is removed to relieve pressure on the nerve and help with pain.