Spinal surgeons help heal patients with a wide variety of medical conditions related to the bones of the back and neck. Some patients may have difficulty walking and moving their neck or arms while others may suffer from severe pain shooting across their body. One intriguing medical condition that spinal surgeons often see is sciatica pain, which causes tingling, spasms, or numbness due to the irritation of nerve roots including the sciatic nerve.
WebMD explains that sciatica is most commonly caused by a ruptured disc in the spine that presses against the nerve roots. This condition can also be caused by arthritis, injured nerve root compression, bone spurs, or narrowing of the spinal canal. Diagnosing sciatica can be done by determining symptoms and studying a patients’ medical history. Additionally, X-rays and MRIs are helpful for determining the causes of sciatica.
The treatments related to sciatica include taking painkillers (acetaminophen and anti-inflammatory drugs), using a heating pad, physical therapy, steroid injections or stronger medications for worsening symptoms, and spinal surgery for the severest of cases.
Dr. Armen Khachatryan has helped one patient, Steve Beckmann, with extremely serious sciatic pain. Beckmann had pain in both his arms and legs, which made it difficult for this musician to play the bass guitar. However, Dr. K was able to perform a surgery that fused his neck and relieved his pain completely. Additionally, this surgeon was able to fuse his back to relieve severe leg pain.
“I have to say that Dr. K saved my life!” Steve Beckmann wrote on the rehabilitation clinic’s social media page. “When I came to him I was living with level 10+ pain 24/7. I had extreme sciatic nerve pain in my right leg and in both arms. The pain and numbness in my arms and hands was so bad that I could not play my bass guitar. Dr. K fused my neck. I have had no sciatic nerve pain in over two years. Still no pain to this day!! Then my leg nerve pain was out of control. I needed my back fused but my insurance denied my claim. Dr. K negotiated with my insurance for months, never giving up on me. Finally approved, he fused my back. When I woke after surgery the nerve pain was gone. All the sciatic nerve pain in my body is GONE! I feel like a new man! Dr. K THANK YOU for giving me my life back! I also want to thank his staff Jeff, Matt, and Felisa. I love you guys!!”