Sciatica

Sciatica

  • Overview
  • Appointments
  • Symptoms
  • Diagnosis
  • Treatments
  • Resources
  • Locations
  • Doctors
  • Providers

    • What is sciatica?

    Sciatica is a common form of back pain that radiates along the sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve is the largest nerve in the body. Irritation of any of the nerve roots that contribute to it can lead to back pain that travels through the buttock and into the lower extremity.  

    Sciatica can be caused by various degenerative changes of the spine, including a herniated disc, spinal stenosis, arthritic changes of the lumbar facet joints, and previous surgeries with formation of scar tissue around nerve roots. The primary cause of sciatica (present in about 90 percent of cases) is spinal disc herniation pressing on one of the lumbar or sacral nerve roots.

    Appointment Information

    For Musculoskeletal-based back and spine conditions, call:

    Comprehensive Spine Program

    At the Comprehensive Spine Program, a nationally acclaimed team of back and spine care experts collaborates to deliver the most effective treatments, tailored to each patient, whether surgical or non-surgical.

    Learn about the spine program

    What are the symptoms of sciatica?

    Sciatica itself actually refers to a symptom rather than a specific disease. The symptom is likely caused by a lumbar or sacral radiculopathy secondary to degenerative disc disease. Typical symptoms include pain in the lower back that travels to your buttocks and down the back of your thigh to your calf.

    How is sciatica diagnosed?

    To diagnose your condition, we will take a medical history and conduct a medical exam. Based on our findings, we may use the following diagnostic tools:

    • Imaging, such as X-rays, CT scans or an MRI 
    • EMG (nerve study) is sometimes ordered if there is concern for nerve health with prolonged symptoms

    How is sciatica treated?

    There are both surgical and non-surgical treatment options for sciatica.

    Non-surgical treatments

    • Physical activity - Improving core strength and exercise can help with the musculoskeletal pain associated with nerve irritation. Often, a protruding disc that is causing sciatica resolves itself in a few weeks.
    • Medications that decrease nerve irritation can be tried

    Interventional treatments

    • If non-surgical treatments are not effective, spine injection therapy such as epidural steroids may decrease inflammation around nerves that have been affected. Sometimes patients have a prolonged benefit from these interventions and oftentimes these are repeated. 

    Surgical treatments

    If non-surgical treatments do not work or if the condition worsens, surgical conditions may be considered. The surgical treatment is individualized to the patient—and the underlying cause of their sciatica—and could include:

    • Discectomy
    • Surgical decompression and/or
    • Spine fusion

    Locations
    • Back & Pain Center | Burlington Building 325 E Eisenhower Pkwy
      Floor 1
      Ann Arbor, MI 48108-3364       Get Directions
    • Back & Pain Center | Canton Health Center 1051 N Canton Center Rd
      Floor 1
      Canton, MI 48187-5097       Get Directions
    • Back & Pain Center | Dexter Health Center 7300 Dexter Ann Arbor Rd Ste 110
      Floor 1
      Dexter, MI 48130-8598       Get Directions
    • Neurosurgery Clinic | Burlington Building 325 E Eisenhower Pkwy Ste 100
      Floor 2 Reception G
      Ann Arbor, MI 48108-3364       Get Directions
    • Orthopaedic Surgery Clinic | Northville Health Center 39901 Traditions Dr
      Floor 1
      Northville, MI 48168-9493       Get Directions
    • Orthopaedic Surgery Clinic | Taubman Center 1500 E Medical Center Dr
      Floor 2 Reception B
      Ann Arbor, MI 48109-5328       Get Directions
    • Spine Clinic | Chelsea Health Center 14700 E Old US Highway 12
      Chelsea, MI 48118-1185       Get Directions
    • Spine Procedure Clinic | Burlington Building 325 E Eisenhower Pkwy Ste 100
      Ann Arbor, MI 48108-3364       Get Directions

    Doctors

     Search for a U-M Health doctor     Ilyas Syed Aleem, MD

    Ilyas Syed Aleem, MD

    Clinical Associate Professor

    Orthopedic Surgery

    Rita N. Ayyangar, MD

    Rita N Ayyangar, MD

    Clinical Professor

    Pediatric Rehabilitation Medicine, Hospice & Palliative Medicine, Pediatrics, Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation

    Rishi Rai Bakshi, DO

    Clinical Associate Professor

    Pain Medicine, Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation

    Miles O Colwell, MD

    Associate Professor Emeritus

    Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation

    Anita S W Craig, DO

    Clinical Assistant Professor

    Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Electrodiagnostic Medicine

    Goodarz Micheal Golmirzaie, MD

    Clinical Associate Professor

    Interventional Pain Medicine, Pain Medicine, Anesthesiology

    Anne Griffith Hartigan, MD

    Anne Griffith Hartigan, MD

    Clinical Assistant Professor

    Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Electrodiagnostic Medicine

    Rakesh D Patel, MD

    Rakesh D Patel, MD

    Clinical Professor

    Orthopedic Surgery, Orthopedic Surgery Of The Spine

    Joshua David Piche, MD

    Joshua David Piche, MD

    Clinical Assistant Professor

    Orthopedic Surgery

    Mohit Rastogi, MD

    Clinical Assistant Professor

    Interventional Pain Medicine, Pain Medicine, Anesthesiology

    Show All Doctors

    Providers

     Search for a U-M Health provider     Michael Edward Geisser, PhD

    Michael Edward Geisser, PhD

    Professor

    Clinical Psychology

    Kathryn Elaine Matulich, NP

    Kathryn Elaine Matulich, NP

    Advanced Practice Nurse

    Nurse Practitioner

    labcoat

    Maria Elise Powers, PA-C

    Physician Assistant

    Physician Assistant

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