Tip! The most common cause of sciatica is a prolapsed (slipped) disc, pinched nerves or some form of arthritis. It usually starts with back pain which sometimes improves only to be followed by hamstring or calf pain.

Have you read the recent news on sciatica nerve pain?

Extreme Sciatica Pain

Dealing with extreme sciatica pain can be challenging. Simple activities such as getting dressed, going to the bathroom, and standing up can become almost impossible. Extreme sciatica pain creeps into every part of a person’s life. A person never seems to get enough sleep because a shift in position can cause enough pain to awaken. Driving becomes difficult because sciatica nerve pain may prevent full control over the clutch, gas and brake pedals. That same pain also interrupts concentration, making it hard to work.

Drug Therapy

Once the pain has stopped responding to over the counter pain relievers, a doctor may prescribe stronger drugs. Sometimes a stronger NSAID may do the trick. Drugs such as nabumetone, are often used for the inflammation associated with arthritis and can be very effective in treating sciatica nerve pain. Other times, a doctor may prescribe steroids to be taken over a period of a week. Steroids mimic the body’s own steroid hormones which inhibit production of proteins responsible for inflammation. In some cases of extreme sciatica pain, an epidural steroid injection may be effective. The steroid is injected into the space within the spine just outside of a sac which surrounds the nerve roots. Less commonly, narcotic pain relievers may be prescribed.

Tip! To complicate matters, although sciatica pain is usually in the back of the legs or thighs, some people may feel pain in the front or side of the legs or even in the hips.

Surgery for Extreme Sciatica Pain

If sciatica nerve pain still persists without improvement, getting an MRI scan can be helpful in diagnosing the cause of the sciatica. Once a physician identifies the problem, more aggressive therapies can be used to treat extreme sciatica pain. Surgery is often recommended for a multitude of lower back problems that cause sciatica. Two back conditions that may require surgery are a herniated disc and spinal stenosis, a narrowing of the spinal canal.

Treating a Herniated Disc

Microdisectomy addresses the problem of a herniated lumbar disc. Through a small incision, the disc is located and the herniated portion of the disc is removed. In many cases, this surgery can be performed on an outpatient basis. Less invasive forms of disectomy are being used with success. Percutaneous disectomy involves using a tube with a cutting edge to cut away the damaged area of the disc. Lasers are also being used to locate and remove the herniated tissue, helping reduce sciatica nerve pain.

Tip! The discs which cushion the vertebrae in the lower back become progressively thinner and harder as we get older. This stresses the lower back and often causes a variety of lower back pain disorders, including sciatica.

Creating space in the spine

Lumbar laminectomy removes growths that can cause extreme sciatica pain by compressing the sciatic nerve. The most common types of growth are bone spurs caused by various diseases such as osteoarthritis. In this surgery, the spurs are either removed completely or shaved off depending on how the sciatic nerve is compressed. In both types of surgeries, sciatica nerve pain can be improved immediately, but full healing of the nerves and muscles can take several months. As in all surgeries, risks such as nerve and muscle damage, and infection can occur.

Tip! Some cases of sciatica which result from inflammation get better with time and heal themselves perhaps within six weeks to three months.

While surgery can alleviate extreme sciatica pain for a longer length of time, there is no guarantee that the problem will not reoccur and may require another surgical intervention.

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