Top Doctor for Sciatica Nerve Pain in Houston, TX

Sciatic nerve pain is often a symptom, or the result, of a coinciding medical condition or injury. This may include:

– A herniated or slipped disk that causes there to be pressure on the nerve root.
– A traumatic injury to the lumbar spine or sciatic nerve.
– Cauda equina syndrome
– Degenerative disk disease that creates pinching on the sciatic nerve roots.
– Osteoarthritis
– Piriformis syndrome
– Spinal stenosis which causes the narrowing of the spinal cord canal.
– Spondylolisthesis which causes vertebrae to slip out of place, causing the spinal bone to pinch the sciatic nerve.
– Tumors in the lumbar spinal canal.

Sciatic pain can have one or multiple root causes. It’s best to consult with a doctor to identify what’s causing your sciatic pain. That way, a treatment plan can be made targeting not only your pain, but the condition itself.

Sciatic pain may improve with rest and self-care measures. To remedy sciatic pain at home, consider the following treatment methods:

– Utilizing cold packs. Icing the painful area multiple times a day, for at least 20 minutes, may help alleviate pain. Wrap your ice pack in a towel for more gentle application.

– Applying heat. If your pain is still present after 2 – 3 days, consider applying heat to the area. You can use hot packs, a heat lamp, or a heating pad, though you should make sure any electronic devices are being used on the lowest setting. Some people have better results alternating between applying hot packs and cold packs.

– Gentle stretching. It’s always best to keep your body moving, at least periodically throughout the day, as sedentariness can cause sciatic pain to worsen. Try stretching exercises for the low back, holding the stretch for 30 seconds (if possible).

The stretch should be gentle and not cause pain. You should avoid high-impact movements such as jumping, bouncing or twisting during your routine.

– Over-the-counter medications. Drug store pain relievers such as ibuprofen and naproxen sodium can be used to help relieve sciatic pain. They should only be used as directed by the information on the packet or by your physician.

On average, most sciatic pain lasts 4–6 weeks. However, this can also depend on the nature of the condition or injury that is causing your sciatic pain, what methods are being used to treat it, and how adamantly you’re sticking to your treatment plan.

Sciatica is considered chronic if it lasts for longer than 6 weeks without significant improvement.

While many cases of sciatica resolve on their own, pain that lingers and doesn’t get better within 6 weeks of at-home treatment should be evaluated by your physician.

Treatment for sciatic pain may vary depending on the intensity of your symptoms and how long they’ve lasted for. Some cases of sciatica will resolve on their own with self-care measures such as rest, applying hot/cold packs, stretching, and over-the-counter medications. Other cases may require medical intervention from your physician or specialist.

Treatment for sciatica might also include:

– Prescription medications
– Physical therapy
– Steroid injections
– Surgery

If you’re wondering if your pain may be caused by sciatica, or need the help of a specialist to help design you a treatment plan for pain management, contact our team of medical professionals here at InovoSpine. We provide quality treatment and the highest level of care to improve and safeguard your health. We serve patients from Houston TX, Hedwig Village TX, Meadows Place TX, Missouri City TX, Hunters Creek Village TX, Spring Valley Village TX, and surrounding areas.