What is Sciatica?
Sciatica refers to pain that travels along the path of the sciatic nerve – from the lower back through the hip and buttock and down each leg. Typically, sciatica affects only one side of the body. At Dashvanth Healthcare Delhi, our expert team provides targeted sciatica diagnosis and treatment.
Causes of Sciatica
- Herniated (Slipped) Disc: The most common cause – disc material presses on the nerve root
- Lumbar Spinal Stenosis: Narrowing of the spinal canal compressing nerves
- Piriformis Syndrome: Piriformis muscle irritates the sciatic nerve
- Spondylolisthesis: One vertebra slips over another
- Degenerative Disc Disease: Wear and tear of spinal discs
Symptoms of Sciatica
- Pain radiating from lower back through the buttock to the leg
- Sharp, burning, or shooting pain
- Numbness or tingling in the leg or foot
- Muscle weakness in the affected leg
- Pain worsened by prolonged sitting
- Electric shock-like pain with certain movements
Diagnosis
Physical examination including straight leg raise test, neurological assessment, MRI (gold standard for visualising disc herniation), CT scan, and nerve conduction studies.
Treatment
Conservative Treatment (First 6 Weeks)
- Short rest period followed by early mobilisation
- NSAIDs and nerve pain medications (pregabalin, gabapentin)
- Physiotherapy – specific exercises and posture correction
- Hot/cold therapy
Interventional Treatment
- Epidural steroid injections – highly effective for acute sciatica
- Nerve root blocks
- Radiofrequency ablation for chronic cases
Surgical Treatment
Considered when conservative treatment fails after 6–12 weeks, or in cases of severe neurological deficit. Microdiscectomy is the most common procedure with excellent outcomes.
Expert sciatica treatment at Dashvanth Healthcare Delhi: 011-41670042
