Sciatica Treatment Specialist in Greenacres FL, and Port St. Lucie FL

At Comprehensive Pain of the Palm Beaches, we understand that sciatica can significantly diminish your quality of life. This medical condition, characterized by pain, inflammation, and sometimes numbness radiating along the sciatic nerve, often affects only one side of your body. It is caused by various factors including herniated or slipped discs, spinal conditions such as lumbar spinal stenosis and spondylolisthesis, Piriformis Syndrome, pregnancy, or other non-spinal conditions.
 
Our team of experienced professionals is committed to diagnosing and treating sciatica. We begin with identifying the underlying cause of your condition to tailor a treatment plan that can offer you the most relief.

For more severe ailments or when conventional treatments fail to provide relief, our medical experts are skilled in performing minimally invasive procedures to alleviate the pressure on the sciatic nerve.

If you suspect you may be suffering from sciatica, it’s important to consult with a healthcare professional at Comprehensive Pain of the Palm Beaches to get an accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment.

At Comprehensive Pain of the Palm Beaches, we regularly treat patients suffering from sciatica, a medical condition that involves the sciatic nerve, which extends from the lower back down to the back of each leg. Our patients often describe the pain as sharp, burning, or shooting, and it can range from a mild ache to excruciating discomfort.
 
Sciatica pain can vary widely, typically starting in the lower back or hip, and then extending to the back of the thigh and into the leg. Oftentimes it can feel like a jolt or electric shock and is often aggravated by prolonged sitting, standing, walking, coughing, or sneezing.

Other frequent symptoms of sciatica include numbness, tingling, and muscle weakness in the affected leg or foot. You may feel discomfort in one portion of your leg while being numb in another. Some patients find difficulty in walking or standing due to a symptom known as neurogenic claudication, which involves a feeling of heaviness or weakness in the legs due to nerve root compression. Sciatica often improves with lying down.

Our team understands that one crucial characteristic of sciatica is that the pain and other symptoms are typically felt on only one side of the body. Based on where the sciatic nerve is damaged, these sensations may be felt throughout the leg, including the foot and toes.

At Comprehensive Pain of the Palm Beaches, our team is dedicated to providing a comprehensive and accurate diagnosis for patients experiencing sciatica symptoms.

Our diagnostic process is meticulous and patient-focused. We begin with a detailed discussion about your medical history and any previous treatments you’ve had. We strive to understand your symptoms, their nature, duration, and severity and will ask about any specific activities or movements that worsen or alleviate the pain.

Our physical examination involves assessing your posture, flexibility, and range of motion in the lower back, hips, and legs. We conduct neurological tests to evaluate sensation, reflexes, and muscle strength along the sciatic nerve, looking for signs of muscle weakness or abnormal reflexes.

To ensure a comprehensive and accurate diagnosis, we utilize advanced imaging tests. X-rays are capable of identifying structural abnormalities, such as fractures or bone spurs that may be pushing on a nerve. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scans provide a detailed look at your body’s soft tissues, nerves, and surrounding tissues, enabling us to identify disc herniations, spinal stenosis, and other abnormalities.

Additional diagnostic tests may be used, such as a Computerized Tomography (CT) scan, which offers comprehensive images of the spinal cord and nerves, as well as Electromyography (EMG) and nerve conduction investigations, to measure nerve function and detect compression or injury.

In some cases, we may order additional tests such as blood tests to rule out other underlying conditions like infection or vitamin deficiencies. In rare cases, a lumbar puncture (spinal tap) is performed to analyze cerebrospinal fluid and rule out other causes of back pain.

Sciatica, a painful ailment characterized by pain radiating along the route of the sciatic nerve, is frequently successfully addressed without the need for surgery. Comprehensive Pain of the Palm Beaches provides a number of treatment options for individuals suffering from this illness.

Medication:

Our dedicated team may recommend over-the-counter pain relievers to help alleviate mild symptoms. In more severe cases, our physicians may prescribe stronger pain relievers, muscle relaxants, or narcotics. Prescription nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can be used to reduce inflammation and muscle spasms, while opioid pain medications may be considered in cases of severe pain.

Physical Therapy:

At Comprehensive Pain of the Palm Beaches, our skilled team can guide you through a series of exercises and stretches aimed at improving posture, increasing flexibility, and strengthening the muscles that support your back.

Heat or Cold Therapy:

Our team can guide you on how to alternate between applying heat and cold to the affected area to help reduce inflammation and soothe discomfort.

Lifestyle Modifications:

Our team can provide advice on maintaining a healthy weight, staying active, and practicing proper lifting techniques to reduce the risk of sciatica. We can also guide you on good posture, both while sitting and standing, to help align the spine and avoid nerve compression.

Other Non-Surgical Interventions:

Our nonsurgical treatment can be beneficial for some people with sciatica. Spinal adjustments assist in spinal alignment and relieve strain on the sciatic nerve. We also offer epidural steroid injections or nerve blocks, which can reduce inflammation around the nerve roots and the discs, providing relief from pain.

Comprehensive Pain of the Palm Beaches recognizes that the efficacy of non-surgical treatments for sciatica varies from person to person, which is why our team of healthcare professionals is committed to determining the best treatment plan for each patient based on the severity and underlying cause of their condition. Always consult with our healthcare providers to explore all treatment options and to ensure proper ergonomics at work to help prevent sciatica from recurring. For more information, please contact us or book an appointment online. Our clinics are conveniently located in Greenacres, FL, and Port St. Lucie, FL. We serve patients from Port St. Lucie FL, Stuart FL, Palm City FL, Greenacres FL, Palm Springs FL, Boynton Beach FL, and surrounding areas.