Surgery
Treatment options for sciatica pain range from conservative measures like pain medications and physical therapy to more invasive methods like surgery. Several different types of surgical procedures can be used to treat sciatica pain. The type of surgery will depend on the underlying cause of sciatica pain.
For example, patients may require a microdiscectomy if a herniated disc causes sciatica pain. Other procedures that may be used to treat sciatica pain include decompression surgery and lumbar laminectomy.
A microdiscectomy is a minimally invasive surgery to treat herniated discs pressing on the sciatic nerve. This procedure can be performed as an outpatient procedure, and most people report significant relief from sciatica pain after surgery.
On the other hand, a laminectomy is a type of decompressive spinal surgery used to treat spinal stenosis. In this procedure, a small incision is made in the back, and the lamina, the bony part of the vertebrae that covers the spinal canal, is removed to create more space for the spinal cord and relieve pressure on the nerves. A laminectomy can be performed as an outpatient procedure, and most people report significant relief from sciatica pain after surgery.
