Is It Time to Start Seeking Sciatica Pain Treatment In NJ?

If the pain lasts longer than 5-7 days and continues to worsen, interfering with your everyday life, it is a clear indication that there is a far more serious problem at hand. You may be dealing with chronic pain, which does not go away easily and is usually a sign of an underlying condition that puts pressure on the sciatic nerve.

2. Did you suffer any recent physical trauma?

One common reason for experiencing sciatic pain is minor physical trauma that may have injured the sciatic nerve. It might be due to something as minor as tripping and falling or lifting heavy grocery bags, or a more concerning situation such as an accident, but whatever the cause, if pain persists, you need to see a doctor.

If you believe your symptoms are too little to demand immediate medical assistance, keep track of the pain’s severity and progress. Do you notice any other symptoms starting to appear? Are your daily tasks affected by the pain? If the answer to both these questions is yes, then you should wait no longer.

3. Are you also experiencing pain in the hips?

If your pain starts spreading to the hips or legs, it is almost certain you are dealing with sciatic pain. Because the nerve spreads throughout your lower back, hips, and legs, pain can be felt anywhere throughout its length, depending on how and where the nerve gets pinched or irritated.

Herniated discs are usually the ones responsible for causing sciatica pain. If your back doctor locates the slipped disc as soon as possible, damage to both the spine and the nerve can be prevented and you can start discussing suitable treatment plans. If you do not treat the herniated disc as soon as possible, minimally invasive treatment won’t be enough to help, and you may need to consider surgery in order to reduce the pain. However, if the disease is diagnosed in time, the doctor can start designing a personalized treatment plan that includes less invasive procedures.

4. Are there other symptoms present?

As we mentioned, the sciatic nerve does run through a large part of your body. Apart from pain in the lower limbs, damage to the sciatic nerve may bring along other symptoms as well.

Some patients experience a numbness or tingling sensation in the legs. If this affects movement or causes incontinence, it is a sure sign you need to call the doctor. Nerve pain that is not treated as soon as possible can lead to permanent damage and disability, so do not wait until the pain starts affecting your daily life to seek treatment.

5. Is this the first time you are experiencing these symptoms?

Some patients report sciatica pain simply comes and goes, which may be a sign of which condition is causing it. In the case of a herniated disc, lifting something heavy or performing certain tasks can bring back the pain, whereas light stretches can help alleviate it.

Besides a herniated disc, there are also other conditions that cause the pain to come and go. Make sure to mention to your doctor if you happen to have experienced this type of pain in the past, as it can help put a proper diagnosis.

Bottom line

Although low back pain happens frequently and does not always indicate a complex issue, pain that persists and keeps you from enjoying your daily life is a sure sign that you should consider visiting a pain doctor. Sciatica usually warns of an underlying issue that needs to be diagnosed as soon as possible.

At Pain Treatment Specialists, we specialize in interventional pain management and have a team of fully trained doctors ready to assist you. We are committed to helping our patients find minimally invasive treatment to ease their chronic or acute pain, including physical therapy, steroid injections, and other types of sciatica treatment. Feel free to contact us today and schedule an appointment in one of our conveniently-placed locations: in Paramus on Route 17, near the Paramus Park Mall, in Clifton, NJ, on Route 46 E, past the Ford dealership, and in West Orange, near the Essex Country Club, and in Woodland Park, on McBride Avenue.