Learn About Sciatica from Dr. Laura Lombardi, Our Sciatica Doctor in NJ

If you are looking for a sciatica doctor in NJ, then you have come to the right place. The board-certified back pain physicians at Pain Treatment Specialists are here to help you find accurate treatment to alleviate sciatica pain and get back to your daily activities.

We like to work closely with our patients and educate them about what it means to deal with sciatic pain. This is why one of our doctors is here today to explain more about what you should and should not do when struggling with sciatica pain.

1. You Should Do your Due Diligence and Learn About Various Treatment Methods

Sciatica pain can be handled in many ways, but the back doctor needs to assess the causes of the pain in order to prescribe the right type of treatment.

Sciatica pain occurs in most cases due to a herniated or slipped disk, although a number of other causes can be associated with it. This includes spine or sciatic nerve trauma, degenerative disk disease, and spinal stenosis.

Once your back doctor determines what causes sciatic pain, you can go on and ask more about the various types of treatment available for your conditions.

Usually, treatment for sciatica pain includes:

• Physical therapy: to help your body recover faster and strengthen your back muscles, doctors often recommend physical exercises, which make the healing process smoother.
• Prescription medication: when over-the-counter medicine does not appear to ease the discomfort caused by sciatic pain, your doctor may recommend stronger anti-inflammatory medication or muscle relaxants.
• Minimally invasive treatment: this is often the preferred type of treatment for sciatica pain and involves specific procedures, as, for example, steroid injections.
• Surgery: when the treatment options mentioned above fail, a visit to an orthopedic spine surgeon may be the only solution to ensure the source of pain is entirely removed.

2. You Shouldn’t Avoid Seeing a Doctor Because You Believe the Pain Will Simply Disappear

Sciatica pain behaves differently for each person. Some people manage to alleviate all the symptoms of sciatica in just a few days by taking some painkillers. Another effective strategy is to avoid putting pressure on the spine, but some people find only surgery can help them completely alleviate the pain.

This occurs because there can be a variety of causes that result in sciatica pain. The pain can increase or decrease in severity depending on these reasons.

While acute sciatica pain generally passes with the use of over-the-counter painkillers, you can never be sure the pain will not return. If sciatic pain continues troubling you even after 4-5 days have passed, the best thing you can do is call a pain specialist and go in for an evaluation.

The specialist is the only one that can determine what irritates the sciatic nerve and causes pain, as well as what you can do to alleviate the pain.

3. You Should Consider Making Some Changes to Your Sleeping Habits

We never like to believe the things we do can actually harm us. This includes poor habits that might seem unimportant, such as improperly lifting weights, exercising incorrectly as well as standing or sitting for prolonged hours every day.

Sleep is another thing people often overlook, but what if we told you poor sleeping hygiene can worsen sciatic pain as well? To prevent damaging your back, it is worth considering making some changes to your sleeping habits. These changes can include:

• Replacing your mattress: soft mattresses are sciatica’s worst enemy. Consider replacing your mattress with a firmer one, as it can help your body adjust to a better sleeping position and alleviate pain.
• Cutting back on caffeine: this does not mean you can’t enjoy your daily coffee, but avoid caffeinated drinks before going to bed, to prevent an agitated sleep that can put pressure on your back.
• Elevate your knees: doing this takes some of the pressure off of your spine and reduces the chances of irritating your sciatic nerve. If you sleep on your back, place a pillow under your knees. If you like to sleep on the side, you can obtain the same result by placing the pillow between your legs.

4. You Shouldn’t Avoid Seeking Adequate Medical Help

Some people have grown so used to sciatic pain that they consider it a part of their life now. This is not the right approach, as pain is never a good sign. The condition that is causing your sciatic nerve to get irritated can worsen if it does not get treated in time.

Only a qualified doctor can assess what causes sciatic pain and recommend the right form of therapy. Discovering the source of your pain as quickly as possible increases the odds of the pain going away with minimally invasive treatment.

If you are looking for a specialist for sciatica symptoms in Clifton, NJ, in West Orange, in Hackensack, or in Params call us or schedule an appointment online today. You can book an appointment at any of our three conveniently-placed NJ locations:

• in Paramus on Route 17, near the Paramus Park Mall,
• in Woodland Park, on Mc Bride Avenue.
• in Clifton, NJ, on Route 46 E, past the Ford dealership,
• in West Orange, near the Essex Country Club.