Pain that shoots from your lower back or buttock into one leg can interfere with sitting, driving, or getting through the workday. Often called sciatica, this discomfort usually begins when a nerve root in the lower spine becomes irritated or compressed. At Princeton Neurological Surgery, we evaluate sciatica and other spinal conditions for patients in Hamilton and Jersey City, NJ. Dr. Edward H. Scheid, Jr., a board-certified neurosurgeon who has performed more than 6,000 spine surgeries, examines the source of nerve irritation before recommending treatment.
What Causes Sciatica?
Sciatica commonly develops when something presses against the nerve roots that form the sciatic nerve. A herniated disc may push against a nearby root, while spinal stenosis narrows the space through which nerves travel.
Other contributors include bone spurs and vertebral slippage. Less commonly, irritation occurs outside the spine. Knowing what’s responsible helps us determine which treatment is likely to help.
Recognizing Sciatica Symptoms
Sciatica usually affects one leg, although both sides can be involved. You might experience:
- Sharp, burning, or electric shock-like pain
- Tingling or numbness extending into the calf or foot
- Weakness in the affected leg
- Discomfort that worsens with sitting, bending, or coughing
Symptoms vary depending on which nerve root is involved. Sudden or worsening weakness requires urgent medical evaluation. New loss of bladder or bowel control, or numbness around the groin, warrants immediate emergency care.
How We Diagnose and Treat Sciatica
Our evaluation begins with your medical history and a neurologic examination. We check strength, reflexes, and sensation while asking where the discomfort travels and which activities aggravate it.
An MRI can reveal a herniated disc or another structural problem. However, those findings must correspond with your examination and symptoms before they can reliably guide treatment.
Many cases improve without surgery. Physical therapy, activity modifications, medication, or injections may help, depending on the cause. Staying active within comfortable limits is generally preferable to prolonged bed rest.
When severe leg pain persists despite nonsurgical care, or neurologic function deteriorates, an operation may become appropriate. Procedures such as lumbar disc microsurgery or lumbar microdecompression can relieve compression in appropriately selected patients.
Why Choose Princeton Neurological Surgery for Sciatica Treatment in Hamilton & Jersey City?
Dr. Scheid’s neurosurgical training and experience with complex and reoperative spine surgery are particularly relevant when leg pain persists or returns following an earlier procedure. These situations can involve scar tissue, new disc problems, or changes at another spinal level.
Our team looks at how your condition affects strength, movement, and everyday activities. We also review whether previous treatments have helped before discussing further care. Surgery is not automatically the answer, even when an MRI shows significant abnormalities.
Frequently Asked Questions
Discuss Sciatica Treatment in Hamilton and Jersey City, NJ
Persistent leg pain shouldn’t keep you guessing about its cause. Our team at Princeton Neurological Surgery can evaluate your symptoms and discuss treatment options with you. Call 609-890-3400 or contact us to arrange an evaluation with Dr. Scheid in Hamilton or Jersey City, NJ.