Interventional pain management fills the gap between conservative care, and major open surgery. The board-certified team here at Pain Management Specialists, Stuart Hough, MD, and Ramani Peruvemba, MD, focus on minimally invasive, image-guided procedures that specifically target sciatica at the source.
Sciatica happens when nearby structures place too much pressure on the sciatic nerve, or it otherwise becomes irritated. The sciatic nerve starts at the lower spine and travels through the buttocks, down the legs, and into the feet. Problems with the sciatic nerve most commonly occur when a herniated spinal disk puts too much pressure on the sciatic nerve.
Other issues that can cause sciatica include:
For mild cases, conservative care, such as rest, stretching, and targeted physical therapy, is often enough to relieve symptoms.
Conservative care isn’t always enough to improve sciatica symptoms. When this is the case, Pain Management Specialists provide minimally invasive treatment options to help patients achieve relief.
If you’re experiencing persistent pain that doesn’t improve with weeks of conservative care, numbness or tingling that gets worse over time, or leg weakness, schedule a consultation with our team.
Epidural steroid injections are a common treatment for managing sciatica and lower back pain. It’s often the first-line interventional treatment when sciatica is caused by a herniated disk or spinal stenosis.
It involves injecting a powerful anti-inflammatory corticosteroid directly into the epidural space surrounding the irritated spinal nerves.
For patients with unrelenting sciatica pain, a nerve block may help ease symptoms. The goal is to turn off the specific nerve transmitting pain signals. The procedure involves injecting a steroid to reduce inflammation, and an anesthetic that interrupts the nerve impulses. Nerve blocks provide much-needed rapid pain relief.
While not a first-line treatment, spinal cord stimulation is often reserved for patients with chronic, severe leg pain that hasn’t responded to conservative therapies or standard spine treatments.
It involves implanting a small device under the skin that sends a mild electrical current to the spinal cord. It acts like a white noise machine that overrides the sciatica pain signals. A trial is conducted to test whether the therapy will provide relief. The trial is considered successful if there’s a 50% or greater reduction in pain.
The providers at Pain Management Specialists have extensive experience providing effective relief for sciatica pain. Our comprehensive approach focuses on getting you back to an active lifestyle quickly. If you’re experiencing sciatica pain, contact us to schedule a consultation and let us help you get on the road to feeling better. Our office is located in Rockville and Frederick, Maryland.
