Relief for Pain That Travels Down Your Leg
Pain that starts in your lower back and radiates through your hip, buttock, or leg could be sciatica. While sciatica can be painful and disruptive, effective treatment is available. At Center for Sports Medicine & Orthopaedics, our multidisciplinary Spine Team works together to diagnose the source of your pain and develop a personalized treatment plan that helps relieve symptoms, restore mobility, and get you back to the activities you enjoy.
Rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all approach, our team coordinates your care across multiple specialties—including fellowship-trained spine surgeons, interventional pain management physicians, advanced practice providers, and spine-focused physical therapists—to ensure you receive the right treatment at the right time.
What Is Sciatica?
Sciatica isn’t a condition itself—it’s a symptom caused by irritation or compression of the sciatic nerve, the largest nerve in the body. The sciatic nerve begins in the lower back and travels through the hips, buttocks, and down each leg.
When this nerve becomes compressed or inflamed, it can cause pain, numbness, tingling, or weakness that typically affects one side of the body.
Why Does Sciatica Cause Pain Down the Leg?
The sciatic nerve supplies sensation and muscle function throughout much of the leg. When pressure is placed on the nerve, pain can travel anywhere along its path.
Common symptoms include:
- Sharp, shooting, or burning pain
- Pain that radiates from the lower back into the buttock and leg
- Tingling or “pins and needles”
- Numbness
- Muscle weakness
- Pain that worsens with prolonged sitting or certain movements
Some patients experience only mild discomfort, while others find the pain severe enough to interfere with work, sleep, or everyday activities.
What Causes Sciatica?
Sciatica is most often caused by an underlying spine condition that places pressure on the sciatic nerve.
Common causes include:
- Herniated discs
- Lumbar spinal stenosis
- Degenerative disc disease
- Bone spurs
- Spondylolisthesis
Identifying the underlying cause is the first step toward choosing the most effective treatment.
How Long Does Sciatica Last?
Many cases improve within several weeks using conservative treatment such as activity modification, physical therapy, and medication.
However, pain that persists, returns frequently, or is accompanied by weakness, numbness, or difficulty walking should be evaluated by a spine specialist. Early treatment may help prevent symptoms from worsening and improve long-term outcomes.
How Does CSMO Treat Sciatica?
At Center for Sports Medicine & Orthopaedics, your care is coordinated through our comprehensive Spine Team, which combines the expertise of fellowship-trained spine surgeons, interventional pain management specialists, advanced practice providers, and rehabilitation professionals. Together, they develop a personalized treatment plan based on your diagnosis, symptoms, lifestyle, and goals.
Depending on the cause of your sciatica, treatment may include:
- Evaluation by one of our experienced Spine Specialists to determine the source of your pain.
- Spine-focused physical therapy to improve flexibility, strengthen the muscles that support your spine, reduce nerve irritation, and restore mobility.
- Interventional pain management, including image-guided spinal injections that can reduce inflammation and relieve pressure on irritated nerves.
- Advanced diagnostic imaging to better understand your condition and guide treatment decisions.
- Medication recommendations to help manage pain and inflammation.
- If conservative care isn’t providing lasting relief, consultation with one of our spine surgeons to discuss whether surgery may be appropriate. CSMO offers the region’s only comprehensive spine care program, with advanced surgical options designed to relieve pain while restoring function whenever possible.
Whenever possible, our specialists begin with nonsurgical treatments. If surgery becomes necessary, your surgeon may recommend minimally invasive techniques or motion preservation spine surgery, which is designed to stabilize the spine while maintaining as much natural movement as possible for appropriate candidates.
If your sciatica is related to nerve compression in the neck rather than the lower back, your surgeon may determine that cervical disc replacement is an option. This innovative procedure relieves pressure on spinal nerves while preserving motion in the cervical spine, allowing many patients to maintain greater flexibility than traditional fusion surgery.
Because every patient’s condition is different, our Spine Team works together to provide coordinated, comprehensive care that focuses on relieving pain, restoring function, and helping you return to an active lifestyle.
When Is Surgery Necessary for Sciatica?
Most patients with sciatica improve without surgery. However, surgery may be recommended if:
- Pain persists despite conservative treatment
- Progressive muscle weakness develops
- Significant nerve compression affects daily activities
- Symptoms continue to limit your quality of life
- Loss of bowel or bladder control occurs (a medical emergency)
If surgery becomes the best treatment option, your spine surgeon will discuss all available procedures, including minimally invasive techniques and motion-preserving surgical options when appropriate to help you make an informed decision.
When Should You See a Spine Specialist?
Schedule an evaluation if you experience:
- Pain that radiates below the knee
- Numbness or tingling in your leg or foot
- Muscle weakness
- Difficulty standing or walking
- Pain lasting longer than several weeks
- Symptoms that interfere with work, exercise, or daily activities
The sooner the source of your sciatica is identified, the sooner your Spine Team can begin a personalized treatment plan designed to help you move comfortably again.