Many people find that surgery successfully alleviates their debilitating symptoms. The type of procedure recommended can differ greatly and depends on the underlying cause of sciatica. Sciatica surgery is normally voluntary, which means that a patient needs to decide whether to undergo an operation or not.
There are potential explanations why the treatment of Sciatica may be prescribed and why the same form of procedure might not be appropriate for all. Before making any decision regarding the treatment, talk to your pain management doctor.
Do Your Sciatica Symptoms Need Surgery?
Surgery may be required when sciatica is caused by extreme underlying conditions such as a disease of cauda equina, tumors, infections, or serious lumbar disc hernias. Surgical care helps preserve the function of the leg and enhances the quality of life.
Other cases can be considered as an option, for example, when:
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Leg and/or foot pain and progressive neurological effects such as fatigue and/or numbness have been associated with it.
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Various types of methods for non-surgical care, including physical exercise, oral medicines, and injections, have been tried.
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Functionality is greatly restricted “” for example, the everyday work and/or occupation of households are significantly impaired.
Operation after 6 to 8 weeks of noninvasive treatment is usually attempted unless you have a medical emergency.
What Surgical Care Choices Do You Have?
Several back and shoulder conditions with several corresponding types of operations can trigger sciatica. For instance, depending on the impingement’s location and causes, the punched nerve root can be treated in many ways.
Popular sciatica surgery procedures include:
- Microdiscipline– In this process, a small part of the disc material is taken out to alleviate nervous root tension (with or without the neighboring bone).
Nerve root stresses can be alleviated by:
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Laminectomy– To provide more room to the spinal nerves, part or more of the lamina (posterior vertebra) is removed.
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Foraminotomy– Neuroforamines are expanded by removing the overgrown bone to make more space for the nerve root when entering the spinal canal. The neuroforamen opens the spinal nerves.
Sciatica operation is typically minimally invasive and is done with minor incisions. Open procedures that require wider incisions, for example, open lumbar laminectomy (open decompression) with extreme nerve compression with multiple triggers, can be performed.
Visit Oklahoma Spine & Pain Management to learn what treatment is suitable according to your symptoms. Our qualified pain management doctors in OKC will help you alleviate pain and lead a normal life.
**Disclaimer: This content should not be considered medical advice and does not imply a doctor-patient relationship.
