Sciatica is one of the most common causes of lower back pain and pain radiating into the buttocks and legs. At Spine Pain Be Gone Clinic in San Antonio, TX, Dr. Guy Fogel helps patients relieve symptoms of sciatica and prevent the condition from recurring.
Sciatica is a relatively common condition that develops when the sciatic nerve becomes compressed or “pinched” where it exits the spine. The sciatic nerve is a very long nerve with two primary branches that travel down each leg. When the nerve becomes pinched or irritated, pain, numbness, and tingling or burning sensations can occur in the lower back and anywhere along the nerve pathway, including the buttocks and legs. Often, patients experience shooting electricity-like pain extending from the back down the leg. Most commonly, sciatica occurs as a result of a bulging or herniated disc, but the condition also can be caused by other conditions like bone spurs, arthritis and spine diseases. Sciatica can affect one or both legs, with symptoms ranging from mild to severe. Often, symptoms can be debilitating enough to interfere with everyday activities and with sleep.
Sciatica is more common among people who:
Sciatica often can be treated without surgery using oral medication to relieve pain, combined with injections near the nerve impingement to reduce both pain and swelling that can compress and irritate the nerve. Physical therapy and rest can also play an important role in treatment, and lifestyle changes like improved ergonomics at work or losing excess weight also may help. When these conservative treatments fail to provide lasting relief of symptoms or when sciatica recurs on a regular basis, surgery may be needed to relieve nerve compression. The type of surgery and the technique used will depend on the issue that's causing compression and on other factors, including the patient's overall health.
"He is warm, friendly, courteous and polite. He takes his time and answers all your questions. He did a lumbar fusion on me and I have had no problems."
"Dr. Fogel is the most caring Dr. I have ever met. He always takes the extra time to make sure I understand everything that is going on in my treatment."
"The best doctor I ever met and his staff go way beyond expectations to try to help. Seeing him was the best thing I ever did."
"Dr. Fogel's surgical procedure on my spine three years ago totally eliminated my back pain. I highly recommend Dr. Fogel to any one needing back pain relief."
"He is an awesome doc! I highly recommend Dr. Fogel. I can say that I have my life back and can do a lot of things that I couldn't do before my surgeries."
"They do their utmost best to get their patients back to living as well and as actively as possible. You will not find a better spinal team!"
"Dr. Fogel is awesome! He was very clear on my diagnosis and his recommendation of the procedure that I needed to fix the problem in my spine."
