Treatment for Lumbar Radiculopathy

What Is Lumbar Radiculopathy?

There are a variety of factors that can lead to lumbar radiculopathy, including aging. A traumatic injury may precipitate a pinched or compressed nerve. In many cases, habits and lifestyle factors are involved. The main causes of lumbar radiculopathy include:

• Genetics: This can be congenital conditions that occur at birth or an inherited lumbar deformity
• Degenerative joint disease: This can also be called osteoarthritis of the spine
• Herniated discs: These compromise the cushioning properties of vertebral discs
• Bone spurs: These form due to joint damage and often are related to osteoarthritis
• Disc lesions: This is a leaking of the herniated disc nucleus, resulting in chemical irritation or compression
• Repetitive motions and overuse injuries: These can affect the structures of the spine
• Long-term stress: Stresses can stem from obesity, weight-bearing sports, and poor posture
• Spinal stenosis: This is also known as a narrowing of the spinal canal
• Tumors or infections: Although rare, tumors or infections can cause lumbar radiculopathy

These causes can work together to create the conditions for lumbar radiculopathy. For example, if there is lumbar weakness combined with a work function that is repetitive or weight-bearing, lumbar radiculopathy may develop.

There are steps everyone can take to help avoid this spine condition and its attendant back pain. Habits that help maintain spine health include:

• Keeping a healthy weight
• Engaging in regular exercise, including core muscle strengthening and careful lifting techniques
• Practicing proper posture
• Scheduling and attending preventative medical appointments
• Consulting with spine specialists at the first sign of persistent back pain and discomfort

What Are the Symptoms of Lumbar Radiculopathy?

Lumbar radiculopathy can include significant pain because the nerves are directly affected by pinching or compression. That’s why pain can begin in the lower back and radiate into the lower extremities – it follows the nerve patterns that originate in the spine and trail along related areas of skin. Lumbar radiculopathy is sometimes described as electric shocks or shooting pains and can also be experienced as a burning or ache.

Other symptoms of lumbar radiculopathy include:

• Numbness and tingling
• Weakness in the lower extremities
• Loss of reflexes in both speed and ability
• Back pain in the thoracic or lumbar regions
• Muscle spasms
• Gait abnormalities or difficulty walking

Each case of lumbar radiculopathy is unique, and sometimes symptoms are not present. At NU-Spine, our medical team performs a physical examination and takes a detailed medical history of patients, reviewing all the factors that have led to their visit. Our goal is to determine a definitive diagnosis that can help us plan effective treatments for alleviating your back pain by ruling out other causes of nerve pain, including:

• Arthritis
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Fungal infections
• Vascular conditions
• Tumors

What If Nothing Works for Lumbar Radiculopathy?

Primary care physicians and other practitioners, such as chiropractors, may have recommended rest, anti-inflammatory medications, steroidal injections, physical therapy, and other treatments for your lumbar radiculopathy. If previous treatments have not relieved back pain, it’s time to schedule a visit with our team of neurosurgeons and spine specialists at NU-Spine. We use the latest minimally invasive spine surgery techniques and technology and are experienced in treating a variety of complicated spinal conditions.

Here are some of the most common surgical procedures related to lumbar radiculopathy:

• Lumbar Discectomy: The discectomy procedure is used to remove all or part of a herniated disc. These can cause irritation or impingement of a nerve root, contributing to lumbar radiculopathy. This procedure is performed with local anesthesia as an outpatient procedure and requires minimal rest at home for recovery.
• Lumbar Microdiscectomy: This is another type of minimally invasive surgery, which also may be referred to as microdiscectomy decompression. Making extremely small incisions and using precise tools, the medical team removes the parts of the disc that are creating the painful condition. This is done through a tube, which minimizes damage to surrounding nerves. When appropriate, the microdiscectomy procedure also uses a laser tool.
• Minimally Invasive Laminectomy: Removing the lamina can help create more room for the nerve root within the vertebrae. In this way, minimally invasive laminectomy can help relieve and eliminate the nerve pain of lumbar radiculopathy.

What Other Lumbar Radiculopathy Surgeries Are There?

Other surgical procedures may be recommended by our spinal specialists at NU-Spine, depending on the results of our examination, review of patient medical history, and imaging tests. These procedures may include:

• Spinal fusion
• Corpectomy
• Hemilaminectomy
• Spinal reconstruction surgery

Whenever possible, the medical team at NU-Spine uses minimally invasive spine surgery to help our patients with back pain. These procedures can provide fast results with less blood loss. With our state-of-the-art surgical equipment and years of experience, we can minimize muscle and nerve damage. We want to help our patients recover more quickly, with less bruising and pain. Minimally invasive spine surgery techniques allow us to treat patients safely and with fewer complications.

When you experience back pain that lasts too long, consult our spine specialists. Early detection of lumbar radiculopathy or other spine conditions provides us with more treatment options that are less invasive. Let Branko Skovrlj, MD, and the medical team use our knowledge and skills to help you feel better by reducing or eliminating your back pain.

NU-Spine: The Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery Institute serves patients in New Jersey, with convenient office locations in Paramus, Woodbridge, Toms River, Jersey City, and Holmdel. For more information, contact us today.