Sciatica Diagnosis

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Find out if you're a candidate for a minimally invasive alternative to open neck or back surgery

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Obtaining an accurate sciatica diagnosis usually begins with a physical examination and review of your medical history by your doctor. After asking you to describe your symptoms as far as type, severity, and duration, the doctor may perform some minor tests to eliminate the possibility that your nervous system itself is not working correctly. Once finished with the physical examination portion of your sciatica diagnosis, the doctor will likely move on to more intensive tests such as an MRI or a CT scan to confirm his or her initial findings.

Once the doctor has confirmed that the symptoms you're experiencing are indeed sciatica, which is a set of symptoms resulting from irritation of the sciatic nerve, he or she will then attempt to discern the condition causing this irritation. In most cases, it is a physical compression of the nerve caused by one or a combination of conditions including:

Bulging disc
Torn or ruptured disc
Degenerative disc disease
Spinal arthritis
Pelvis injury such as a fracture
Spinal stenosis

After a Sciatica Diagnosis

Once you have received a full sciatica diagnosis, which pinpoints the condition or conditions causing your sciatica symptoms, your doctor will provide a treatment plan. In the vast majority of cases, sciatica treatment begins conservatively with methods including:

Rest
Spinal decompression
Prescription or over the counter pain medicines
Stretching
Spinal cortisone injections
Anti-inflammatories
Exercise

If these methods have been exhausted with no relief, surgery may be the only option left. In this case, you may have to choose between open back surgery and an endoscopic procedure. The latter is a safe, proven, and effective alternative to open back procedures.

For more information on these minimally invasive techniques, or to request a complimentary review of your MRI or CT scan and discuss your potential treatment options with one of our expert spine doctors, contact Laser Spine Institute.

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