Sciatica Treatment in Lafayette, LA
Sciatica can cause pain that begins in the lower back or buttock and travels into the thigh, calf, foot, or toes. It may also produce burning, tingling, numbness, or weakness that makes sitting, walking, driving, working, and sleeping difficult.
At Interventional Pain Specialists in Lafayette, our team evaluates the spinal nerve irritation responsible for sciatic pain. We develop a treatment plan based on your symptoms, examination, imaging findings, previous care, and individual goals.
Led by Albert Gros, Jr., MD, a physician board-certified in anesthesiology and pain medicine, we provide targeted, minimally invasive treatment options for qualifying patients with sciatica and lumbar radiculopathy. Dr. Gros has more than two decades of experience in anesthesiology and interventional pain management.
Sciatica Care at Our Lafayette Clinic
Interventional Pain Specialists – Lafayette
1101 S. College Rd., Suite 200
Lafayette, LA
Phone: (337) 362-8101
Our Lafayette pain management clinic evaluates patients with radiating leg pain, numbness, tingling, burning sensations, and other symptoms that may result from irritation or compression of a nerve in the lower spine.
Sciatica is not a diagnosis by itself. It describes a pattern of symptoms commonly caused by inflammation or compression of a lumbosacral nerve root. A proper evaluation is necessary because referred pain from muscles, joints, or other structures can sometimes resemble sciatica without involving a compressed spinal nerve.
What Is Sciatica?
Sciatica generally refers to nerve-related pain that travels from the lower back or buttock into one leg. The symptoms follow the pathway of nerves that eventually form the sciatic nerve.
Although people often call any pain in the buttock or leg “sciatica,” true lumbar radicular pain usually results from irritation or compression of a nerve root as it exits the lower spine. A herniated lumbar disc is a common cause, although spinal narrowing and other degenerative changes can also affect a nerve.
Sciatic pain may extend into:
- The buttock
- The back or side of the thigh
- The calf
- The ankle
- The foot
- The toes
Some patients have substantial leg pain with little back pain. Others experience both lower back pain and symptoms extending into the leg.
Common Symptoms of Sciatica
Sciatica symptoms vary according to which nerve root is irritated and how severely it is affected. Common symptoms include:
- Pain extending from the lower back into the buttock or leg
- Burning or electric sensations
- Sharp or shooting leg pain
- Tingling or pins and needles
- Numbness in the leg or foot
- Leg or foot weakness
- Pain aggravated by sitting
- Pain worsened by coughing or sneezing
- Difficulty standing or walking for extended periods
- Pain affecting one side more than the other
Symptoms alone cannot identify the exact spinal level or underlying condition. An evaluation is needed to confirm the cause.
When Should You See a Sciatica Specialist?
Some episodes of sciatic pain improve with time and appropriate conservative care. Consider arranging an evaluation when symptoms:
- Continue for several weeks
- Repeatedly return
- Interfere with sleep, work, driving, or exercise
- Make sitting or standing difficult
- Travel below the knee
- Cause persistent numbness or tingling
- Include leg or foot weakness
- Have not improved sufficiently with medication or physical therapy
- Began after an accident or injury
- Continue after previous back treatment or surgery
Seeing a pain specialist does not automatically mean you will need an injection. The purpose of the evaluation is to determine whether your symptoms represent lumbar nerve-root irritation, identify the possible cause, and discuss suitable treatment options.
What Causes Sciatica?
Several lower-spine conditions can irritate or compress nerves that contribute to sciatic pain.
Herniated Disc
Spinal discs cushion the vertebrae and support movement. When a disc bulges, tears, or herniates, it may irritate a nearby nerve root and cause lower-back pain, buttock pain, leg pain, tingling, numbness, or weakness. MRI findings must be compared with symptoms and examination results because not all disc abnormalities cause pain.
Lumbar Spinal Stenosis
Lumbar spinal stenosis occurs when the spinal canal or nerve openings become narrowed. Symptoms may include back or buttock pain, leg pain, heaviness, numbness, tingling, weakness, or difficulty standing and walking. Some patients feel relief when sitting or leaning forward.
Foraminal Stenosis
Spinal nerves exit through openings called neural foramina. Disc changes, arthritis, or bone spurs can narrow these openings and irritate the nerve. Selective nerve root blocks may help evaluate or treat symptoms caused by nerve-root compression.
Spondylolisthesis
Spondylolisthesis occurs when one vertebra shifts compared with the one below it. This may reduce space for spinal nerves and cause back pain, leg pain, numbness, or weakness.
Pain Following Spine Surgery
Persistent leg pain after lumbar surgery may result from recurrent disc problems, nerve injury, scar tissue, spinal narrowing, or changes at another spinal level. Evaluation is needed to identify the current pain source before selecting further treatment.
Injury-Related Nerve Irritation
Sciatic symptoms may develop or worsen after accidents, falls, workplace injuries, sports injuries, repetitive lifting, or sudden movements. Treatment depends on the structure involved, such as a disc, nerve, joint, muscle, or vertebra.
Sciatica and Referred Leg Pain Are Not Always the Same
Pain felt in the buttock or leg does not always originate from an irritated spinal nerve. Hip conditions, sacroiliac-joint pain, muscular problems, and other disorders can refer pain into nearby areas. Referred pain may coexist with sciatica, which can make the symptoms difficult to distinguish without a clinical evaluation.
A pain specialist may consider:
- The exact path of the pain
- Whether symptoms extend below the knee
- The presence of numbness or tingling
- Strength and reflex findings
- Movements that reproduce the symptoms
- Imaging findings
- Response to previous treatment
This helps prevent treatment from being directed at a disc or nerve that is not responsible for the pain.
How We Evaluate Sciatica
Our evaluation focuses on identifying the affected nerve, understanding what may be causing irritation, and determining the most appropriate treatment approach.
Review of Your Symptoms
We discuss where pain begins, how far it travels, and whether it affects the front, side, or back of the leg. We also evaluate numbness, tingling, weakness, activities that worsen symptoms, previous injuries, treatments attempted, and how sciatica affects daily activities.
Medical and Treatment History
We review prior back injuries, spine surgeries, physical therapy, medications, injections, medical conditions, and how symptoms have changed over time.
Physical and Neurological Examination
Our examination may assess leg strength, reflexes, sensation, range of motion, walking pattern, and movements or positions that suggest nerve-root involvement.
Review of Imaging
We review MRI scans, X-rays, CT scans, and other reports when appropriate. Imaging is not required for every new episode of uncomplicated sciatica but may be considered when symptoms persist, worsen, neurological concerns are present, or an intervention is being evaluated.
Diagnostic Injections
When symptoms and imaging do not clearly identify the affected nerve, a selective nerve root block may provide additional information. Medication is placed around a specific nerve root, and the response can help determine whether that nerve is contributing to symptoms and guide future treatment.
Personalized Treatment Planning
Once the affected nerve and likely cause are identified, your provider discusses the findings and available treatment options with you. Recommendations are based on your diagnosis, symptoms, and overall goals, not a one-size-fits-all approach.
Sciatica Treatment Options in Lafayette
Sciatica treatment depends on the underlying cause, symptom severity, and overall health. Our goal is to reduce nerve irritation, improve function, and address the specific source of your symptoms.
Epidural Steroid Injections
A lumbar epidural steroid injection delivers anti-inflammatory medication near irritated spinal nerves. It may be considered for sciatica related to herniated discs, bulging discs, lumbar radiculopathy, spinal stenosis, or radiating lower back and leg pain.
Selective Nerve Root Blocks
A selective nerve root block targets one specific spinal nerve root with anesthetic and anti-inflammatory medication. It may help identify the source of pain, reduce nerve inflammation, and provide relief from radiating leg symptoms, especially when imaging shows abnormalities at multiple spinal levels and the pain source is unclear.
MILD Procedure
Some patients experience sciatica-like symptoms due to lumbar spinal stenosis and narrowing around spinal nerves. The MILD procedure may be considered for selected patients with lumbar spinal stenosis and neurogenic claudication, using a minimally invasive approach to address tissue contributing to spinal canal narrowing.
VIA Disc Allograft Injections
VIA Disc is intended for carefully selected patients with certain forms of disc-related lower back and leg pain. A complete evaluation is needed to determine whether the symptoms, diagnostic findings, and treatment history support its use.
Spinal Cord Stimulation
Spinal cord stimulation uses an implanted device to modify pain signals. It may be considered for carefully selected patients with chronic neuropathic leg pain, including some patients with persistent symptoms after spine surgery.
Radiofrequency Ablation
Radiofrequency ablation uses controlled heat to interrupt pain signals from selected nerves. While primarily used for facet-related pain, it may be considered when diagnostic blocks indicate that facet joints are contributing to a patient's overall lower back and leg symptoms.
A Personalized Approach to Sciatic Pain
Two patients may both have pain traveling down the leg but have different underlying problems.
For example:
- One may have a herniated disc irritating a nerve.
- Another may have foraminal stenosis caused by arthritis.
- Another may have central spinal stenosis affecting several nerves.
- Another may have persistent nerve pain after spine surgery.
- Another may have referred hip or muscular pain rather than true sciatica.
For this reason, the same injection should not be recommended automatically to every patient with leg pain. Our team considers the pattern of symptoms, neurological findings, previous treatments, medical history, and available imaging before recommending a targeted treatment plan.
Why Choose Us for Sciatica Treatment in Lafayette?
- Experienced Interventional Pain Care
Dr. Albert Gros has more than two decades of experience in anesthesiology and interventional pain management. He is board-certified by the American Board of Anesthesiology and the American Board of Pain Medicine. - Targeted Treatment Options
Interventional Pain Specialists provides image-guided procedures designed to target specific irritated spinal nerves rather than treating all lower-back and leg pain in the same way. - Diagnostic Precision
Selective nerve root blocks may help identify the particular nerve responsible when several abnormalities appear on imaging. - Personalized Recommendations
Treatment plans are based on the patient’s diagnosis, symptoms, previous care, medical history, and goals. - Focus on Mobility and Function
The goal is not only to reduce discomfort. Treatment may also help patients sit, stand, walk, drive, sleep, and participate more fully in everyday activities. - Convenient Lafayette Clinic
Patients can receive an evaluation at 1101 S. College Rd., Suite 200, Lafayette, LA.
Meet Albert Gros, Jr., MD
Anesthesiology and Pain Management Specialist
Albert Gros, Jr., MD, leads care at Interventional Pain Specialists and has more than two decades of experience in anesthesiology and interventional pain medicine.
He earned his medical degree from Louisiana State University School of Medicine in New Orleans and completed his anesthesiology residency at Ochsner Clinic Foundation. His interventional experience includes epidural steroid injections, nerve blocks, spinal cord stimulation, and other procedures for spine and nerve-related pain.
What to Bring to Your Appointment
Bring any available information that can help the team understand your symptoms and treatment history, including:
- Photo identification & insurance card
- Current medication list
- Relevant medical records
- MRI, CT, or X-ray reports (and copies of imaging, if available)
- Physical therapy records
- Details of previous injections or prior spine surgery
- Referral or authorization documents, if required
- Questions you’d like to discuss
Insurance Information
We accept most insurance providers, including:
Coverage, referrals, prior authorization, deductibles, and out-of-pocket expenses vary by plan. Contact the Lafayette office and your insurance provider before treatment to confirm your benefits.
Lafayette office: (337) 362-8101
When Sciatica Requires Urgent Medical Attention
A routine pain-management appointment is not a substitute for emergency care. Seek immediate medical evaluation if lower-back or leg pain is accompanied by:
- New loss of bladder or bowel control
- Difficulty beginning or controlling urination
- Numbness around the groin, inner thighs, or saddle area
- Rapidly worsening leg weakness
- Sudden foot drop
- Weakness affecting both legs
- Severe symptoms following significant trauma
- Fever with severe back pain
- New neurological symptoms with a history of cancer or serious infection
These symptoms may indicate severe nerve compression or another condition requiring urgent medical evaluation.
What Our Patients Say
Professional Associations And Memberships
Schedule a Sciatica Evaluation in Lafayette
Sciatic pain can affect your ability to sit, walk, drive, sleep, and complete everyday tasks. Because several spinal conditions can produce similar symptoms, identifying the affected nerve and underlying cause is essential before choosing a treatment. Contact Interventional Pain Specialists in Lafayette to discuss your symptoms and explore a personalized treatment plan.
Interventional Pain Specialists – Lafayette
1101 S. College Rd., Suite 200
Lafayette, LA
Phone: (337) 362-8101
Frequently Asked Questions
Is sciatica a back problem or a leg problem?
Sciatica is usually caused by irritation or compression of a nerve root in the lower spine, but the pain is often felt mainly in the buttock or leg. Some patients have more back pain, while others experience predominantly leg symptoms.
What type of doctor treats sciatica?
A pain management specialist can evaluate persistent sciatica and determine whether the symptoms may benefit from conservative care, an image-guided injection, a selective nerve root block, or another interventional treatment. Progressive neurological problems may require evaluation by a spine surgeon or another specialist.
How is sciatica different from ordinary lower-back pain?
Ordinary lower-back pain may remain localized to the back. Sciatica generally involves nerve-related pain that travels from the lower back or buttock into the leg and may include tingling, numbness, burning, or weakness.
Can a herniated disc cause sciatica?
Yes. A herniated lumbar disc can inflame or compress a nearby nerve root and cause radiating leg pain. However, a disc abnormality seen on an MRI is not necessarily the source of symptoms unless it matches the clinical findings.
Can spinal stenosis cause sciatica?
Yes. Narrowing in the lumbar spinal canal or nerve openings can compress or irritate spinal nerves and produce buttock or leg pain, numbness, weakness, or difficulty walking.
Do you offer injections for sciatica in Lafayette?
We offer epidural steroid injections and selective nerve root blocks for eligible patients with nerve-related spinal pain, including sciatica and lumbar radiculopathy.
What is the best injection for sciatica?
There is no single best injection for every patient. An epidural steroid injection treats a broader area of nerve inflammation, while a selective nerve root block targets one specific nerve and can provide diagnostic information. The appropriate choice depends on your symptoms, examination findings, and imaging.
Will I need an MRI?
Not every patient requires immediate imaging. An MRI may be appropriate when symptoms persist or worsen, neurological problems are present, or you are being evaluated for a procedure or surgery.
Can sciatica go away without an injection?
Some cases improve with time and nonsurgical care. An injection may be considered when symptoms persist, significantly affect function, or do not improve sufficiently with initial treatment. The underlying cause and severity help determine the appropriate next step.
Can you help if sciatica continues after back surgery?
We evaluate patients with persistent nerve-related pain after spine surgery. Treatment depends on the source of the continuing symptoms and may include a targeted injection, another interventional procedure, or spinal cord stimulation for carefully selected patients
Do I need a referral?
Referral and authorization requirements depend on your insurance plan. Contact the Lafayette clinic or your insurance provider to determine whether a referral or prior authorization is required.
How do I schedule a sciatica appointment in Lafayette?
Call (337) 362-8101 or submit the appointment request form through our website to schedule your consultation.