Chronic Sciatica Management: When to Consider a Nerve Block

If you have chronic sciatica, the electric shock-like sensations that run down the back of your leg anytime you sneeze, cough, or get up from the couch can take over your life. But there are treatments that can reduce or eliminate your pain and give you back your life. 

At Addison Pain + Regenerative Medicine in Addison, Texas, we understand how chronic pain affects every facet of your life. Our pain management expert, Dr. John East customizes plans and offers many solutions that help his patients get relief, including nerve block procedures.

If you have chronic sciatica, it may be time to consider a nerve block. Read on to find out how we can help you get your life back.

About sciatica

Sciatica is a pain condition that causes sharp or burning sensations that start in your lower back and radiate down the back of your leg. Sometimes grouped with low back pain, sciatica is a nerve condition involving your sciatic nerve.

Your sciatic nerve is the thickest and longest nerve in your body made up of several nerve roots that exit at various points from your lumbar spine, come together in your buttocks, and run down the back of your leg on both sides of your body.

Sciatica occurs when any part of your nerve is pinched or irritated. The pinched nerve often occurs at the nerve root as it exits your spine from a herniated disc, degenerative disc disease, or spinal stenosis (narrowing in your spinal column).

The pain condition is common and many people recover completely within weeks. However, if you have nerve damage, you can develop chronic sciatica with pain that lasts several months. 

When to consider a nerve block

Medication, exercise, and heat and cold therapy are the first interventions we use to control chronic sciatica symptoms. But when conservative methods no longer offer relief, we may consider other interventions like a nerve block.

A nerve block is an injection that includes an anti-inflammatory and local anesthetic that we administer close to the nerve causing your pain. The anesthetic blocks the pain signal, while the anti-inflammatory helps heal the damaged nerve.

Nerve blocks are outpatient procedures performed using advanced guided imagery to ensure accurate placement of the medication.

What to expect 

You should get relief from your pain right away following a nerve block. However, the relief is temporary and may last a few days, weeks, or months. 

There’s no way to predict how long you’ll remain pain-free. But if you experienced improvements, repeating the injection may prolong your relief. Repeating the nerve block may help heal your damaged nerve, significantly reducing or eliminating your pain. 

We may also use the results of your nerve block to determine if you might benefit from radiofrequency ablation, a procedure that uses heat energy to destroy the nerve causing your pain. This is a long-term pain management solution. 

You don’t have to live with chronic sciatica. We can find a solution for your pain so you can get your life back. Call our office at 972-380-0000 or request an appointment online today.