Do you recommend surgery for sciatica?

Question

Hi doctor,

I am diagnosed with slip disc L4-L5 and my sciatic nerve is pressed. Due to which I am finding difficulty to walk and sit. My left foot is numb. I have a lot of pain and stiffness in my calf and thighs. Please advise.

Answer 1

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com. I understand your symptoms. Clinically, you have sciatica for sure. But, radiologically the compression is not so severe that I have to advise you surgery (attachment removed to protect patient identity). I would suggest a conservative trial first, Consult your specialist doctor, discuss with him or her and take the medicine with consent. 1. Tablet Trigabantin 300 mg (Gabapentin) twice a day after food in the morning and evening for 10 days. This one may make you feel a bit dizzy, but eventually it will disappear. 2. Tablet Ibuprofen 400 mg thrice daily after food for seven days. 3. Tablet Pantoprazole 40 mg twice daily before breakfast. Get pelvic traction for a few hours a day. This you need to do at any good physiotherapy clinic. Avoid any sort of strain on your back, twisting and turning. Most likely you will improve with conservative management itself.

Answer 2

Hi,

Welcome back to icliniq.com. Trigabantin is very important to suppress pain, which is coming from your nerves. You should take leave for first three days and take rest. Ibuprofen is given here to reduce inflammation based on some findings of bones in your magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan (stress related). When you take these two you may have some acidity. So, I have suggested Pantoprazole. This is for acidity. I advise traction for seven days. First three days you take rest, if possible. Later you can go to physiotherapy in the morning and at work in the afternoon.