Issues with sciatica cause an unbearable amount of pain, not so easily treated as a minor injury. What you’re suffering from is not a condition; it’s a symptom of an underlying problem, one that is compressing and irritating your sciatic nerve. If you are suffering from sciatica or have had a number of repeated episodes, at The Painless Center, Dr. Chiu offers personalized treatments to alleviate the pain and get you back to function. Reach us at Carlstadt & Tenafly, New Jersey, or book an appointment online today.
Why do I Have Sciatica?
Sciatica, by itself, is not a medical condition or a problem. When we say that we suffer from sciatica pain, we are referring to the pain caused by nerve compression or irritation. These nerve issues can occur for several reasons, such as:
- Herniated disks.
- Degenerative disk disease.
- Spinal stenosis.
- Foraminal stenosis.
- Spondylolisthesis.
- Osteoarthritis.
- Injuries.
- Pregnancy.
- Tumors, cysts or other growths.
- Conus medullaris syndrome.
- Cauda equina syndrome.
Because of the pressure that these conditions might create around the lumbar spine nerve roots, sciatica can flare up.
While stretching exercises at home can often help ease sciatica pain, sometimes it lingers and becomes a chronic issue. If the nerve damage is quite severe, a condition called “drop foot” might develop, causing numbness in the feet and making walking incredibly difficult. In some cases, significant damage can also lead to a loss of sensation in the legs, which can be quite concerning.
What are the Epidural Injections and How Can They Alleviate Sciatica Pain?
Epidural injections are often recommended for patients whose conservative treatments haven’t provided relief and who don’t want to undergo surgery. If you’ve been dealing with sciatica that hasn’t responded well to initial treatments after six to eight weeks, it may be a good time to try this approach.
Epidural injections are our preferred option since it is the most effective for people whose pain is nerve-related.
The primary mechanism behind epidural injections is to help reduce inflammation. When your sciatic nerve is compressed, the surrounding tissues often become inflamed, which can perpetuate and worsen the pain cycle. The corticosteroid medication in the injection works to:
- Reducing inflammation around the compressed nerve
- Decrease swelling that may be contributing to nerve compression
- Interrupt the pain signals being sent to your brain
- Allow your body’s natural healing processes to work more effectively
The local anesthetic component provides immediate pain relief, often within minutes of the injection, while the steroid begins working over the following days and weeks.
What to Expect from the Epidural Injection Procedure
After confirming the evidence of nerve compression, Dr. Chiu delivers a corticosteroid combined with an anesthetic to the epidural area surrounding the sciatic nerve, where it exits the lower spine. The anesthetic offers quick relief from pain, while the steroid helps reduce inflammation that can cause compression and irritation of the nerve.
This simple, in-office injection is usually well-tolerated by most patients. Dr. Chiu uses advanced imaging technology to ensure the epidural injections are precisely placed. While you may feel a slight pressure during the procedure, a topical numbing agent is applied beforehand to help prevent any discomfort.
The pain relief from this treatment can last anywhere from a few weeks to several months, often providing enough relief to support conservative approaches such as gentle home exercises or guided physical therapy.
Don’t live with pain! Instead, schedule an evaluation with Dr. Chiu at The Painless Center today. Call the office or request an appointment online.