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 (rather than compression) of the nerve roots.


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 releasing inflammatory soup near a spinal nerve root
  • Fissure in a degenerate disc
  • 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 Sciatica:

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

Medications

  • 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

  • Keep active and avoid prolonged bed rest. Modify activities temporarily during painful flare-ups but aim to return to normal activities as symptoms improve.
  • Water-based rehabilitation is strongly recommended. Swimming or hydrotherapy provides low-impact exercise while reducing stress on the spine and joints.
  • Maintain a healthy weight to reduce mechanical loading on the spine and improve long-term outcomes.
  • Learn safe lifting techniques and good spinal ergonomics at home and work to reduce the risk of recurrent episodes.
  • Choose low-impact exercises such as walking, cycling, swimming, yoga, or Pilates to improve flexibility, strength, and overall fitness.
  • Strengthen your core muscles through a structured exercise programme to support your spine and reduce future flare-ups.
  • Avoid prolonged sitting where possible. Take regular breaks to stand, stretch, and walk, particularly if your work is desk-based.
  • Stop smoking, if applicable, as smoking is associated with poorer spinal health, slower recovery, and an increased risk of persistent back pain.

Surgical Options (for persistent or severe cases):

  • Microdiscectomy or laminectomy to relieve nerve compression

Surgical Options (by spinal surgeons):

  • Microdiscectomy or laminectomy to relieve nerve compression

Possible Causes:

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

How Can We Help?

At PainClinicNI, we specialise in managing acute and chronic sciatica and leg pains .
  • 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 helping you get back to the activities that matter most to you.