What is Sciatica?

Sciatica is a type of nerve pain that radiates along the path of the sciatic nerve, which branches from your lower back through your hips, buttocks, and down each leg. It typically affects one side of the body and is caused by irritation or compression of the sciatic nerve—most commonly from a herniated disc or spinal degeneration.
While sciatica can be painful and disabling, most people recover with a combination of
medical care, movement, and time.



Common Symptoms:

  • Sharp, shooting, or burning pain in the lower back, buttock, and leg
  • Numbness or tingling in the affected leg or foot
  • Muscle weakness in the leg
  • Pain that worsens with sitting, standing, or certain movements
  • Difficulty walking or bending due to pain

Common Causes:

  • Herniated or bulging disc pressing on a spinal nerve root
  • Degenerative disc disease or spinal stenosis
  • Piriformis syndrome (muscle pressing on the sciatic nerve)
  • Spondylolisthesis (slippage of one vertebra over another)
  • Trauma or pelvic injury affecting the sciatic nerve

Management of Chronic Migraine:

Sciatica treatment aims to relieve pressure on the nerve, reduce inflammation, and restore mobility. In many cases, symptoms improve without surgery.

1. Medications (prescribed by your GP or neurologist)

  • Anti-inflammatories and muscle relaxants for pain relief
  • Neuropathic pain agents like gabapentin, amitriptyline or duloxetine

1. Medications (prescribed by your GP or neurologist)

  • Anti-inflammatories and muscle relaxants for pain relief
  • Neuropathic pain agents like gabapentin, amitriptyline or duloxetine

Physical Therapy:

  • Stretching and strengthening exercises for the back and legs
  • Postural and ergonomic training
  • Techniques to improve flexibility and reduce nerve tension

Injection Therapies

  • Epidural steroid injections to control a flare-up

  • Selective nerve root blocks for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes

  • Pulse RF treatment (to stun the affected nerve, for medium term benefit)

  •  Piriformis injections if muscle spasm is the source

Injection Therapies

  • Epidural steroid injections to control a flare-up

  • Selective nerve root blocks for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes

  • Pulse RF treatment (to stun the affected nerve, for medium term benefit)

  • Piriformis injections if muscle spasm is the source

Lifestyle and Recovery Support

  • Activity modification and gentle movement
  • Water based rehab
  • Weight management to reduce spinal stress
  • Education on lifting techniques and spinal care

Surgical Options (for persistent or severe cases):

  • Microdiscectomy or laminectomy to relieve nerve compression

Surgical Options (for persistent or severe cases):

  • Microdiscectomy or laminectomy to relieve nerve compression

Possible Causes:

  • Muscle or ligament strain from lifting, bending, or poor posture
  • Degenerative disc disease (most common)
  • Facet joint dysfunction
  • Sacroiliac joint pain
  • Spinal Stenosis
  • Nerve impingement (sciatica)
  • Fibromyalgia (90% fibromyalgia sufferers report spinal pain, as their main complaint)
  • In rare cases, infection, fracture, or tumour

How Can We Help?

At PainClinicNI, we specialise in managing nerve and spine-related pain, including sciatica.
  • Expert diagnosis and tailored care
  • Non-surgical and image-guided injection treatments
  • Epidural
  • Nerve root injections
  • Pulsed RF of nerve root (stun the nerve)
  • Supportive rehabilitation and collaboration with physiotherapists and spinal surgeons
“Our focus is on relieving your pain, restoring function, and getting you back to doing what you love.”