How We Determine the Cause of Your Sciatica
Sciatica and pinched nerve pain can come from irritated lumbar nerves, disc herniation, spinal stenosis, arthritis, inflammation, prior injuries, or other problems that cause pain to travel from the low back into the hip, buttock, leg, or foot. At Medway Pain Center, evaluation begins with a careful history, physical examination, review of imaging when available, and attention to where the pain travels, what worsens it, and whether numbness, tingling, or weakness is present.
The goal is to identify the most likely pain generator before recommending a treatment plan.
Choosing the Right Treatment for Your Sciatica
Treatment depends on whether symptoms are coming from an irritated spinal nerve, inflammation around a disc, narrowing in the spine, sacroiliac joint pain that mimics sciatica, or another source. Some patients improve with conservative care, while others may benefit from image-guided procedures.
- Epidural steroid injections may help when an irritated lumbar nerve contributes to pain that travels into the leg.
- Nerve blocks may be considered when the painful nerve source needs to be diagnosed or targeted more specifically.
- Sacroiliac joint injections may be used when SI joint pain is suspected to mimic sciatic-type symptoms.
- Radiofrequency ablation may be appropriate for selected spine or joint-related pain patterns after diagnostic testing.
Why One Procedure May Be Better Than Another
Different procedures treat different pain sources. An epidural injection targets inflammation around spinal nerves, while nerve blocks can help clarify or treat a specific nerve pathway. Sacroiliac joint injections are used when the SI joint is suspected, and radiofrequency ablation may be considered only after the correct pain source is confirmed.
Choosing carefully helps avoid unnecessary procedures and improves the chance that treatment matches your actual diagnosis.
Your Treatment Journey at Medway Pain Center
Your care usually begins with an evaluation, diagnosis, and review of prior treatments or imaging. From there, Dr. Tochi Umunakwe and the Medway Pain Center team explain your options, discuss conservative and interventional choices, and build a plan based on your symptoms, exam findings, and goals.
The focus is to reduce pain, improve function, and help you return to daily activities with a plan that makes clinical sense for your condition.
