Sciatica Specialist

In up to 10% of low back pain cases, sciatica is the culprit. Unfortunately, sciatica also causes other issues like radiating leg pain, making it potentially disabling if you don’t get treatment. At Precision Pain Management, LLC, leading pain management expert John Coccaro, MD, and his team offer highly effective sciatica solutions like the Nevro HF10® spinal cord stimulator to get you moving without pain. Call the Toms River, New Jersey, office, or click the online booking tool for sciatica help now.

Sciatica Q & A

What is Sciatica?

Sciatica refers to symptoms, including severe pain, that happen when the sciatic nerve grows highly irritated or compressed. This long nerve starts in your lower back and branches down your hips, buttocks, and legs, so sciatica often causes radiating pain that travels the length of the nerve. In most cases, sciatica occurs in your right or left side, rarely in both.

What Causes Sciatica?

Sciatica symptoms are generally the direct result of problems in your lumbar spine, such as:

● Herniated disc
● Bone spur
● Spinal stenosis
● Degenerative disc disease
● Sacroiliac joint dysfunction
● Slipped vertebrae (spondylolisthesis)

Any condition or disease that damages or causes pressure on your sciatic nerve can potentially lead to sciatica symptoms.

What are the Symptoms Associated with Sciatica?

Pain is the most obvious problem with sciatica. Many sufferers describe it as a burning feeling in the lower back, which sometimes shoots down their hip, buttock, and leg on one side of the body. You may also have the following symptoms:

● Numbness
● Pins-and-needles feeling
● Weakness
● Leg heaviness

You can have sciatica symptoms anytime, but they’re often most severe when you stand up, sit down, lean over, or twist. Coughing or another sudden movement can trigger the symptoms suddenly, too.

How do You Treat Sciatica?

Sciatica treatment depends on the underlying condition that causes your symptoms. At Precision Pain Management, LLC, Dr. Coccaro and his team diagnose your primary issues and then suggest effective pain management techniques. Your treatment may include:

● Physical therapy
● Epidural injections
● Sciatic nerve block injections
● Radiofrequency ablation
● Minimally-invasive lumbar decompression (MILD® therapy)
● Intraspine spacer with Vertiflex™
● Superion® Spinal cord stimulation with Nevro HF10® or Boston Scientific systems
● Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections

In most cases, sciatica responds quite well to non-surgical treatments. Generally, Dr. Coccaro starts with the most conservative option, such as physical therapy and injections, and then moves on to other treatments as needed.

For example, if you have chronic sciatica and get effective sciatica relief from an injection, Dr. Coccaro might recommend another procedure like radiofrequency ablation to give you longer-lasting relief.

You don’t need to live with sciatica symptoms. Precision Pain Management, LLC, can ease your pain and help you enjoy an active lifestyle again, so book an appointment by calling the office or clicking on the appointment scheduler now.