What kind of doctor treats severe sciatica?

A neurologist, or physician who specializes in the nervous system, is the best person to manage severe sciatica. Your primary doctor may refer you to a specialist in such cases. Approximately 40\% of people will experience sciatica in their lifetimes.

Is sciatica the same as spinal stenosis?

When the space between the vertebrae narrows, also called stenosis, the vertebrae can put pressure on the sciatic nerve causing pain and numbness down one leg, also called sciatica. Sciatica is a symptom of spinal stenosis, but not all individuals with spinal stenosis will suffer from sciatica.

Should you go to ER for sciatica?

If you are having neurological symptoms like leg weakness or loss of bowel or bladder control because of your pain or sciatica, you must go to your healthcare provider or emergency room immediately for treatment. Those things could be a sign of a serious problem that requires medical attention right away.

What’s the difference between a neurologist and a rheumatologist?

A rheumatologist must first complete an internal medicine residency before a fellowship in rheumatology. A neurologist is an expert in the nervous system of the body, both the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) as well as the peripheral nervous system.

Does gabapentin help sciatica?

Sciatica. Gabapentin can help relieve sciatica, intense pain that runs along the sciatic nerve from the lower back through the hips and buttocks (12). Sciatica affects one side of the body and is usually caused by disk herniation or spinal stenosis (12).

Does a cortisone shot help sciatica?

Cortisone shots are not for ordinary strain-and-sprain backaches. Orthopedic specialists usually offer them for shooting nerve pain (sciatica) from a ruptured disk, or symptoms associated with narrowing of the space around the spinal cord (spinal stenosis).

What is the latest treatment for spinal stenosis?

Vertiflex procedure is minimally invasive and reversible A new spinal stenosis treatment is allowing people to walk without pain for the first time in years – and without relying on opioids.