Sciatica
treatment — in Greater LA.
Sciatica is pain that radiates from the lower back, through the buttock, and down one leg — caused by a pinched or inflamed nerve root in the lumbar spine. The medical term is lumbar radiculopathy. Dr. Yasmeh treats sciatica with conservative care first and minimally invasive microdiscectomy when needed.
Diagnosis first. Treatment second.
Most cases respond to conservative care; surgery is reserved for symptoms that don't resolve.
- What it is: Pain that radiates from the lower back, through the buttock, and down one leg — caused by an irritated or compressed lumbar nerve root.
- Also known as: Lumbar radiculopathy (the medical name).
- Common symptoms: Leg pain, numbness, tingling, leg weakness, pain that worsens with sitting or coughing.
- First-line treatment: Physical therapy, medication, and sometimes image-guided epidural steroid injections.
- When surgery is considered: Severe or progressive symptoms, leg weakness, or pain unresponsive to 6–12 weeks of conservative care.
Sciatica is lumbar radiculopathy
"Sciatica" and "lumbar radiculopathy" describe the same condition. Sciatica is the everyday term; lumbar radiculopathy is the medical name that describes both the location (lumbar = lower back) and the mechanism (nerve-root irritation).
The pain follows the path of the affected nerve from the spine down the leg — often along the back of the thigh and calf — and can be accompanied by numbness, tingling, or weakness in the leg or foot.
Dr. Yasmeh evaluates each case individually. Most patients improve with non-surgical care; for those who don't, a minimally invasive microdiscectomy is one of the most reliable procedures in spine surgery.
Detailed information on sciatica
Lumbar Radiculopathy (Sciatica) — Full Overview
Complete information on symptoms, causes, diagnosis, and Dr. Yasmeh's treatment approach.
Read moreLumbar Disc Herniation
The most common cause of sciatica — a disc in the lower back pressing on a nerve root.
Read moreMicrodiscectomy
The minimally invasive procedure that resolves most surgical sciatica cases.
Read moreEpidural Steroid Injection
Image-guided injection that often breaks the pain cycle when oral medication and PT aren't enough.
Read moreGet clarity on your sciatica today.
Same-week appointments. Four Greater LA offices. Most insurance accepted.