Sciatica Back Pain Diagnosis & Pain Management Doctors NYC

Sciatica patients visit Manhattan Pain and Sports Associates seek various treatment from our sciaticia specialist doctors to treat their back pain including corticosteroid injections, muscle relaxers, anti-depressants, narcotic pain medications, and non steroidal anti inflammatories. The sciatic nerve is a long nerve that runs from your lower back, through your buttocks and hips, down your leg. You have one on each side and thankfully, when you do develop issues with your sciatic nerve, it usually sticks to one side. Sciatic neuritis, more commonly referred to as just sciatica, typically occurs as a result of a bone spur, herniated disc or spinal stenosis. The back pain associated with sciatica usually radiates down the leg of the affected side. Numbness and inflammation also occur.

Recognize the Signs of Sciatica

Sciatica is a recognizable disorder because the pain starts in your lower back and then moves through your hips and down the back of one leg. However, you may feel pain at a point anywhere along the pathway of the nerve. And the pain can vary, from mildly throbbing to a sharp, burning sensation. Shooting pains can feel somewhat like an electric shock.

Usually only one side of your body is affected. You may feel the strongest symptoms when you cough or sneeze or when you stand up after sitting for prolonged periods of time. And you may only feel numb in one part of your leg while it’s jarring you in another part.

Risk Factors for Sciatica

The most common cause of sciatica is a herniated disc. There are other much less common causes, however, like infections and tumors. You are most at risk of developing sciatica if you are:

  • Obese: The excess weight puts a lot of stress on your lower back, which increases the pressure on your sciatic nerve.
  • Aging: Degenerative disc disease is a common problem for aging seniors no matter how healthy and active you are. Aging is one of the most common causes of sciatica.
  • Working: Jobs in NYC that involve a lot of driving, bending or twisting can trigger a bout of sciatica. Your pain management specialist can help you find ways around the trigger so you won’t have to quit your job.
  • Sedentary: Long periods of inactivity cause pressure on your lower back and associated pressure on the nerves there. As a matter of fact, people who sit for long periods of time are much more likely to develop sciatica than active people.
  • Diabetic: Nerve damage is often one of the side effects of diabetes.

Getting Better All the Time

Most cases of sciatica can be resolved with the assistance of your Manhattan pain management doctor, physical therapy and non-invasive, conservative treatment. When the sciatic pain is severe and begins to limit your mobility or affects your bladder and bowel movements, you may be a candidate for surgery.

Various Medications Can Help You Through The Pain including:

  • Non-steroidal anti-inflammatories
  • Narcotic pain medication
  • Muscle relaxers
  • Anti-depressants

Corticosteroid injections can help to reduce the inflammation that flares up around the impacted nerve. You can only do this a few times within a couple of months, however. Surgery may be your best bet if your pain is severe and doesn’t improve with conservative measures. The procedure involves removing the herniated disc or bone spur that’s pinching your sciatic nerve.

Get the Sciatica Pain Relief You Need

At Manhattan Pain and Sports Associates , you’ll get the sciatica pain management and care you need to reduce or eliminate your acute or chronic sciatica pain. Because when you’re in pain — whether it’s from an accident, age or ailment — you want relief. Appropriate and targeted sciatica pain management and treatment starts with a proper diagnosis from your NYC sciatica pain management doctor.

Your NYC sciatica back pain management doctor’s goal is to get you back to your normal routine with minimal downtime. After your sciatica diagnosis is confirmed, your doctor begins your treatment plan with the most conservative pain relief treatment.

Manhattan Pain and Sports Associates
51 East 25th St, 4th Floor, Ste B
New York, NY 10010
(212) 533-3954