What Happens if Sciatica Pain Is Left Untreated?

Your sciatica nerve extends from your lower back through your buttocks and down each leg. You may experience pain at any spot along this pathway; it might feel mild or like a five-alarm fire. Either way, it’s a good idea to consult a physician specializing in pain management before it gets out of control, potentially leading to permanent nerve damage and dysfunction.

Experienced pain management physicians Kevin Elaahi, MD, Benjamin Kim, MD, and our caring team at Interventional Pain Consultants in Parsippany, Montclair, and Landing, New Jersey, offer expert sciatica treatment and more via evidence-based therapies to alleviate your pain and restore your quality of life.

Sciatica pain explained

Aside from sciatica pain in the lower back, buttocks, and legs, you may also experience:

• Tingling sensations
• Numbness
• Muscle cramps
• Leg pain or weakness
• Urinary incontinence

Our team of interventional pain consultants conducts a thorough examination to pinpoint the root of your sciatica pain and provide the kind of fully tailored treatment plan that will be most effective for you.

Sciatica versus lower back pain

It’s not always easy to distinguish between sciatica and lower back pain. That’s why our team examines you to confirm the precise nature of your pain condition as well as the extent of your nerve damage. Diagnostic tests may include:

• X-ray
• Electromyography (EMG)
• CT scan
• MRI

One of the most common causes of sciatica is a herniated disc in the lower back. Sciatica may also result from bone spurs, tumors, a narrowing of the spinal cord called spinal stenosis, or diabetic nerve damage. Regardless of the cause, waiting too long to have your pain diagnosed and treated may result in prolonged pain and an undesirable outcome.

Sciatica treatment options

Dr. Elaahi and Dr. Kim offer a variety of treatments to soothe your sciatica, including:

Radiofrequency ablation

This noninvasive approach transmits radio waves to the affected nerve, heating it via a strategically placed needle, to help stop pain sensations.

Epidural steroid injections

With an epidural steroid injection, our team injects anti-inflammatory medications (steroids or corticosteroids) around the affected spinal nerve root in your lower back to relieve pain.

Regenerative medicine

Regenerative medicine treatments, such as platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and stem cell therapy, utilize your own blood or tissue to repair and lessen pain by triggering and helping to accelerate your body’s natural healing response.

Other solutions

Our team also utilizes various types of injections, nerve blocks, and spinal cord stimulation to relinquish pain. We also use physical therapy to reduce nerve pressure, and medication, such as muscle relaxants and painkillers, when necessary. Using a multidisciplinary approach, we only recommend surgery as a last resort.

Pain you shouldn’t ignore

While you may be tempted to put off sciatica treatment, it probably won’t go away. And the longer it goes untreated, the greater the possibility of complications, including:

• Worsening or permanent nerve damage
• Loss of feeling and/or swelling in your affected leg
• Numbness in the foot that makes walking difficult

Our team offers a range of non-surgical solutions. We also recommend beneficial lifestyle adjustments, such as maintaining a healthy weight, good posture, and regular exercise.

While rest is usually necessary during a sciatica flare-up, we help you find a happy medium between movement and relaxation to keep your body functional. 

You don’t have to go it alone

Nothing feels quite as bad as isolating due to chronic pain. If you suffer from sciatica, we’re here to help. Call or click online to schedule an appointment at your nearest Interventional Pain Consultants office in Parsippany, Montclair, or Landing, New Jersey, today.