How Do You Know If You Need Surgery for Sciatica?
The sciatic nerve is the longest nerve in the body. This nerve runs from the lower back to the hip, buttocks, and feet. When pressure is exerted on this nerve due to any reason, it causes severe and intense pain in these regions. This is called sciatica. There are several causes of sciatica such as a herniated disc, overgrowth of bones, etc.
In most cases, sciatica gets cured with conservative methods of treatment. But for some patients, do not find relief with conservative treatments. In those cases, surgery can the right option.
What are the Signs of Sciatica?
The following are some of the common signs of sciatica:
- Numbness or weakness in the lower back, legs, or feet
- Severe pain in the lower back, buttocks, and legs
- The pain becomes worse with movements such as coughing, sitting, bending, twisting, etc.
- A feeling of pins and needles in the feet, legs, or toes
- Weakness on the affected side of the leg
If you ever experience any of the above signs, consider visiting a doctor to avoid further progression of the condition.
What Causes Sciatica?
Sciatica occurs when the sciatic nerve gets damaged or when pressure is applied on it. The sciatic nerve is responsible for controlling the muscles of the lower legs and knees. Any pressure on this nerve can cause severe and intense pain.
The following can lead to sciatica:
- Spinal stenosis
- Slipped herniated disc
- Fracture or a pelvic injury
- Tumors
- Piriformis syndrome
When Should I Consider Surgery for Sciatica?
If you have any signs of sciatica, it is a good idea to start with non-surgical treatment methods. You should first try cold and heat therapies, use pain medications, muscle relaxants, physical therapy, etc. In most cases, sciatica can be treated using non-invasive treatments. Surgery is not required to treat sciatica if it is not caused by nerve compression.
But if your sciatica pain does not relieve or does not respond to non-invasive treatments, then you need to consider surgery for sciatica. If you have had leg pain or weakness for more than 8 weeks, you should consider surgery.
The following are the certain situations where surgery might be required:
- Bladder dysfunction: If you have bladder dysfunction with spinal cord compression, you need to opt for surgery. But it occurs in very rare cases.
- Spinal stenosis: This condition narrows down the space in the spine and causes pressure on the spinal cord. This condition can eventually reduce the strength in your legs.
- Pain becomes worse: If the sciatica pain becomes more challenging, it can lead to neurological problems such as paralysis and weakness.
- Bilateral sciatica: This is a condition where the sciatic nerve gets compressed on both sides of the body. It is very rare and it occurs due to a herniated disc or piriformis syndrome.
- Tumor: If you have a spine tumor, it can compress the sciatic nerve and can cause numbness, and weakness, or can also lead to loss of function. If your sciatica is due to a tumor, then you should undergo surgery whether the tumor is cancerous or not.
- Infection: Sciatica can also occur due to the infection of the nerves in the lower back or pelvic area. If medications or injections do not help, then you should consider surgery.
Different Surgical Options to Relieve Sciatica Pain
The doctor will carefully evaluate your medical history and conducts required tests before deciding on surgery. Surgery for sciatica focuses on treating the underlying cause of the condition. For example, if a herniated disc is causing sciatica, then surgery focuses on removing the herniated disc.
Based on the compression, the different surgical options for sciatica include:
- Endoscopic discectomy: During this surgery, only a portion of the herniated disc is removed to reduce pressure on the inflamed and compressed sciatic nerve. It is a less invasive procedure.
- Laminectomy: It is a major procedure used to treat spinal stenosis. During surgery, a portion or full lamina is removed to relieve pressure on the sciatic nerve.
- Facetectomy: The facetectomy procedure focuses on increasing the space between the joints by removing a portion of the facet.
- Foraminotomy: This procedure enlarges the vertebral foramen by removing the bony overgrowth. This relieves pressure on the compressed sciatic nerve.
More than 90% of patients suffering from sciatica will have satisfactory results with surgery. Like any other procedure, surgery for sciatica also needs a recovery time. The recovery time is based on the type of surgery you had.
Suffering from Sciatica? Meet Dr Vishwak Sena Reddy Today
Dr Vishwak Sena Reddy has been working as a neurosurgeon in Hyderabad for over 12 years. He has helped several patients suffering from sciatica with a huge success rate. He is trained and an expert in minimally invasive spine surgery and you can count on him. He will closely work with you to develop a treatment plan to treat your sciatica pain. To know about your treatment options, call and schedule an appointment with Dr Vishwak Sena Reddy.