Don’t Let Sciatica or a Pinched Nerve Keep You Sidelined—Get Targeted Relief

The sharp pain of sciatica shoots down your leg when you stand. Tingling or numbness from a pinched nerve makes sitting through the workday uncomfortable. Maybe everyday activities you once took for granted have become something you now have to plan around.

AABP Integrative Pain Care in Brooklyn, New York, specializes in diagnosing and treating sciatica, pinched nerves, and other causes of acute and chronic pain.

Sciatica and pinched nerves can interfere with your mobility, sleep, work, and favorite activities, but persistent nerve pain doesn’t have to keep you on the sidelines.

Our experienced pain management team uses targeted treatments tailored to the source of your symptoms. Our providers use the latest nonsurgical therapies to reduce pain, restore function, and get you moving comfortably again.

What causes sciatica?

Sciatica refers to symptoms caused by irritation or compression of the sciatic nerve, your body’s largest nerve. The sciatic nerve travels from your lower back (lumbar spine) through the buttocks and down each leg.

When the nerve is under pressure, you may experience pain that radiates from your lower back into your buttock, thigh, calf, or foot. Other symptoms can include:

• Numbness
• Tingling
• Burning sensations
• Muscle weakness

A herniated disc is a common cause of sciatica. Spinal stenosis, bone spurs, and arthritic changes affecting the lower spine can also put pressure on the sciatic nerve.

Is a pinched nerve the same as sciatica?

Sciatica is a specific type of nerve pain, while a pinched nerve can occur in several areas of your body.

A nerve becomes “pinched” when surrounding tissues, such as bones, discs, muscles, or tendons, place excessive pressure on it. Depending on the affected nerve, symptoms may occur in your neck, back, arms, hands, legs, or feet.

For instance, a compressed nerve in your cervical spine may cause pain, tingling, or weakness that travels from your neck into your shoulder or arm. Compression in the lower spine can cause symptoms that radiate into your legs.

Because different conditions can produce similar symptoms, identifying the exact source of your pain is essential for choosing an appropriate treatment.

How targeted pain management can help

Treating nerve pain isn’t simply about masking discomfort. Effective pain management focuses on identifying what is irritating or compressing the nerve and selecting treatment based on the underlying cause.

Your treatment plan may include:

• Medications
• Physical therapy
• Activity modifications
• Gentle stretching exercises

For certain types of nerve pain, targeted injections can deliver medication directly to the area surrounding an irritated nerve.

Epidural steroid injections, for example, help decrease inflammation around spinal nerves and provide relief from symptoms associated with conditions such as sciatica and herniated discs.

Other interventional pain management techniques may be appropriate depending on the location and cause of your symptoms. Our team recommends options based on your diagnosis, medical history, symptom severity, and treatment goals.

When to seek treatment for nerve pain

Occasional mild discomfort may improve with rest and conservative care. However, pain that persists, repeatedly returns, or interferes with your daily activities requires further evaluation.  You don’t have to wait until nerve pain significantly limits your life to seek help.

You should also seek medical attention if your symptoms include increasing numbness or weakness. If you experience sudden severe weakness, loss of bowel or bladder control, or numbness around the groin or inner thighs, seek immediate medical evaluation.

Let’s get you back to the activities you enjoy

Sciatica and pinched nerves can make movement uncomfortable, but avoiding activity indefinitely isn’t the answer. 

Finding the source of your symptoms allows you and our pain management specialists to develop a targeted plan for lasting improvement.

Call AABP Integrative Pain Care in Brooklyn, New York today. If sciatica or a pinched nerve is keeping you sidelined, schedule an evaluation and learn about treatment options that can help you move forward with less pain. You can also book a consultation online.