Lumbar Radiculopathy
If you have tingling, numbness or pain in your spine, you may have a pinched nerve in your lower back, also known as lumbar radiculopathy. Dr. Rojeh Melikian provides compassionate, patient-first care for people with this spine condition.
What Is Lumbar Radiculopathy?
Lumbar radiculopathy is nerve root irritation or compression, specifically affecting the lumbar spine or sacrum. It can involve multiple nerve roots, with the most common levels being L4-L5 and L5-S1. Lumbar nerve root compression may irritate the sciatic nerve roots, causing sciatica.
You can get a pinched nerve in your lower back from:
- Foraminal stenosis, one of the structural causes of lumbar radiculopathy.
- Spinal traumas.
- Bone spurs on the vertebrae.
- Spinal disc degeneration and weakening from aging.
- Slipped or herniated discs.
Some of the common symptoms of lumbar radiculopathy include:
- Muscle weakness.
- Numbness.
- Tingling.
- Lumbar nerve root pain.
The pain and numbness may spread to your legs.
An orthopedic surgeon diagnoses radiculopathy in the lumbar region using:
- A physical exam to inspect your spine and back.
- An X-ray to show spinal alignment changes and narrowing.
- A CT scan to show detailed 3D images of your spine.
- An MRI to show nerve root and soft tissue compression.
- An EMG to evaluate nerve condition.
Treatment Options for Lumbar Radiculopathy
The most valuable treatment option for your lumbar radiculopathy depends on the severity of your symptoms. Dr. Melikian will guide you through nonsurgical treatments to alleviate your nerve pain before recommending a surgical approach.
Nonsurgical Treatments for Lumbar Radiculopathy
Some ways you may be able to alleviate your pinched nerve pain include:
- Heat or ice: Apply ice or heat to your back to relax tight muscles and reduce swelling.
- Medications: Over-the-counter NSAIDs like ibuprofen and prescribed anti-inflammatory medications like prednisone can help with pain management.
- Posture correction: Improving your posture can help manage your back pain and reduce stress on your spine.
- Physical therapy: Your physical therapist will give you exercises that stretch and strengthen your muscles to ease nerve pressure.
Surgeries for Lumbar Radiculopathy
If your symptoms have not responded to nonsurgical treatments, Dr. Rojeh Melikian can discuss lumbar radiculopathy surgeries that may help, such as:
- Microdiscectomy: An endoscopic microdiscectomy removes the herniated disc that’s causing nerve compression while preserving tissue and minimizing trauma.
- Laminectomy: A laminectomy relieves spinal nerve pressure by removing bone spurs, lamina and damaged disc material.
- Spinal fusion: Fusing the spine through an anterior lumbar interbody fusion or extreme lateral interbody fusion improves spinal stability when affected segments have collapsed.
- Lumbar artificial disc replacement: In a lumbar disc replacement, herniated discs are removed and replaced with an artificial disc to decompress the pinched nerve.
Schedule a Consultation Today
Rojeh Melikian, M.D., is a board-certified orthopedic spine surgeon in Southern California with expertise in minimally invasive techniques. Schedule a phone or video consultation with Dr. Melikian to explore your treatment options. Call 949-806-6946 or contact us online to get started.