Top 5 ways to NonSurgically Treat Sciatica

Sciatica is characterized by pain and numbness felt within the buttock area and various parts of the foot and the leg depending on which nerve root is being pinched. Patients also manifest pins and needles sensations and some even have trouble controlling movement in the leg.

Thankfully, with conservative treatments over 95% of patients are able to be treated nonoperatively successfully.

There are different treatments used to treat sciatica and we will be having a look at the top five non-operative treatments for Sciatica.

1. Chiropractic Therapy & Physical Therapy

Chiropractic therapy and physical therapy combined are very useful when it comes to treating sciatica. Various treatments may be administered depending on the patient’s symptoms and these include: spinal manipulations, ultrasound treatments which are conducted including lumbar strengthening and stretching exercises.

Electrical stimulation is also a very common chiropractic treatment used to treat this condition. These treatments are aimed at relieving the pain which can be excruciating.

2. Medrol Dosepak Treatment

This is one of the first treatments that your Arizona workers compensation doctor might recommend. Medrol Dosepak is an anti-inflammatory drug filled with prednisone medication.

The medication is taken orally and it involves consuming large quantities of the steroid at the beginning of the treatment and then reducing it over the following days. A Medrol Dosepak has been very effective in reducing sciatica pain with quick results. It should only be used sparingly.

3. Epidural Injections

Epidural injections are not new to pain management. These injections which are also known as cortisone injections are normally injected on the affected side which in this case would be within the vicinity of the pinched nerve.

Epidural injections have been used to treat sciatica for more than 50 years with positive results. 75 to 90 percent of the patients who undergo these injections have had positive pain reduction. The results are excellent and this is treatment comes with very low rates of infections or complications. Epidural injections with a Federal workers compensation doctor could help you avoid surgical procedures.

4. Spinal Decompression Therapy

Spinal decompression therapy become popular with the turn of the century as it was approved by the FDA. This treatment is very popular when it comes to treating back pain, sciatica included. The treatment is cost effective and does help when it comes to decompressing the pinched nerve. Its effects can be felt in just four weeks with continuous improvement over the following months.

5. Muscle Relaxers and Neurologic Medication and Opiates

Neurological medication which consists of medications such as lyrica and gabapentin are highly effective sciatica medications. Neurological medication works to relieve the excruciating pain and considerably reduces back spasms. The medication is often used along with muscle relaxers which are ultimately responsible for reducing the spasms. The combination of these treatments has produced brilliant results when it comes to the treatment of sciatica.

Opiates may help as well for short term treatment, however, for long term treatment the risks start to outweigh the benefits.

95 percent of those who undergo the above treatments do not need surgical treatment. Reducing pain gives the body a chance to heal as it disintegrates the herniated disc responsible for the pinched nerve.