Sciatica Specialist

The Painless Center

Jason Chiu, MD

Pain Management Specialist & Anesthesiologist located in Clifton, NJ & Tenafly, NJ

Stabbing pain that radiates down into your legs may be the first indication you have sciatica. At The Painless Center in Carlstadt and Tenafly, New Jersey, Jason Chiu, MD, and his dedicated medical staff offer in-office pain intervention solutions for chronic sciatica pain. Dr. Chiu provides a comprehensive physical exam and diagnostic testing to rule out other conditions and creates a treatment plan to alleviate chronic sciatica pain for the short-term and long-term. Find out more about available treatments for sciatica by calling the office nearest you or by using the convenient online booking feature.

Sciatica

What is sciatica?

The notorious pain of sciatica originates in your low back and often radiates down into your buttocks, hips, and legs.

This type of condition results when something irritates or compresses the sciatic nerve, the largest nerve in your body. Irritation of this nerve often develops from a herniated disc, which occurs when one of the protective discs between your vertebrae ruptures and the jelly-like center pushes through, pressing on the nerve.

Sciatica can also develop over time as your vertebrae wear down due to the natural aging process or due to a degenerative disease, like arthritis or osteoporosis.

What are the symptoms of sciatica?

Sciatica causes a sharp, jolting pain in your lower back when you move a certain way. You may feel an electric shock-type sensation during sudden, unexpected movements, such as a cough or a sneeze.

In addition to the jolting pain, sciatica can cause:

Weakness
Numbness
Tingling or burning sensations

In many cases, Dr. Chiu can diagnose sciatica after a physical examination of your low back and a review of your symptoms.

What treatments are available for sciatica?

In some cases, sciatica pain clears up on its own without any medical intervention. However, if you experience chronic pain in your low back due to nerve compression, Dr. Chiu can recommend treatments that give you both fast and long-lasting relief of your pain.

Options for sciatica pain may include oral pain-relieving medications. Dr. Chiu can also administer lumbar epidural injections that contain an anti-inflammatory medication, like steroids, and an anesthetic.

A nerve block may also be effective for sciatica treatment. This procedure uses special medications to turn off the nerve signals in the sciatic nerve.

Once injected into the lower part of your spine, the medications quickly alleviate pain with results lasting several days or weeks. By reducing pain, the sciatic nerve and surrounding tissue have time to heal naturally to provide you with long-term pain relief.

In addition to pain-relieving therapies, Dr. Chiu may suggest physical therapy or at-home exercises to take pressure off your lower spine and reduce sciatic nerve irritation.

If you’re struggling to work or stay active due to ongoing, jolting pain, schedule an evaluation with Dr. Chiu today at The Painless Center nearest you, online or by phone.

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