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Sciatica & Lumbar Radiculopathy

What is Sciatica & Lumbar Radiculopathy?

Sciatica is a common health problem affecting as many as 40% of people at least once in a lifetime. Rather than a specific condition, sciatica is a syndrome – an array of symptoms caused by compression of the sciatic nerve root in the lower back.

Lumbar radiculopathy is a term for compression of the spinal nerve root in the lower back (lumbar spine). It may be used to describe the cause of sciatica or pain resulting from compression of other nerves.

Causes and Risk Factors

Some specific risk factors for lumbar radiculopathy and sciatica include:

  • Age between 30 and 50
  • Male gender
  • A history of trauma to the spine
  • Excessive sitting
  • Repetitive heavy lifting and bending
  • Obesity
  • Smoking cigarettes

In most cases, radiculopathy and sciatica are caused by a herniated, bulging, or degenerated disc. They can also be caused by narrowed spinal joint spaces (stenosis), bony cysts, or tumors and infections.

Signs and Symptoms to Be Aware of

Even though sciatica and lumbar radiculopathy originate in the lower back, back pain isn’t usually the main symptom. Instead, people often experience:

  • Buttocks, hip, groin, and leg pain (described as shooting, stabbing, burning, or throbbing)
  • Numbness and tingling the leg and foot
  • Weakness in a leg and foot

These symptoms can get worse or better depending on time of day, activity, and even stress level. In severe cases, sciatic nerve pain can make work, exercise, and sleep seem next to impossible. And unless the underlying causes of your sciatica or radiculopathy are addressed, your symptoms can recur.

How Our Pain Management Team Treats Sciatic Nerve Pain

Our multidisciplinary team delivers comprehensive and customized pain relief for sciatic nerve pain. We may recommend:

  • Pain-relieving and/or anti-inflammatory medication
  • Nerve blocks
  • Therapeutic exercises
  • Massage and other types of manual therapy
  • Ergonomic training
  • Epidural steroid injections

We’re not trying to mask symptoms – we want to help you find a lasting solution. The overall goal is to reduce irritation and compression of the nerve, accelerate healing, and help you avoid recurring problems.

Find Sciatica Relief by Contacting Us Today

Don't let sciatic nerve pain limit you. At American Pain Consortium, we help patients from get control of their pain.

Complete our form online or call today to schedule your consultation.