Individuals diagnosed with spinal arthritis typically experience persistent joint stiffness, limited range of motion and localized pain. Also known as lumbosacral arthritis, lumbar spinal arthritis is a leading cause of spinal disc degeneration and may produce symptoms of lumbar spinal stenosis, which can, in turn, lead to sciatica.

What is sciatica?

“Sciatica” is a term that collectively refers to the symptoms felt when the sciatic nerve is pinched. Degeneration of the spinal discs or the cartilage that covers the spinal facet joints in the lower back can lead to the irritation or compression of the collection of spinal nerves contributing to the large sciatic nerve.

The sciatic nerve — which is the longest, thickest nerve in the body — runs across the buttocks, toward the hips and then down the back of both legs. In addition to tenderness in the area of lower back degeneration, you might experience weakness, numbness, tingling or a burning sensation in the buttocks or legs.

Treatment for lumbar spinal arthritis

Lumbar spinal arthritis has no cure, but symptoms generally can be managed through conservative (nonsurgical) treatments. For example, to help support the lumbar spine during daily activity, your physician might suggest that you wear a brace. Other conservative treatment options for the symptoms of arthritis in the lower spine include:

• Exercise
• Massage
• Weight loss
• Chiropractic therapy
• Acupuncture

If conservative treatment fails to relieve chronic lower back pain, your physician could suggest surgery. However, surgery does not have to entail a highly invasive operation. At USA Spine Care, our surgeons treat the symptoms of lower spine arthritis using minimally invasive outpatient procedures. Our minimally invasive decompression and stabilization procedures are a safer and effective alternative to traditional open spine surgery, and the streamlined experience we offer helps patients get back to their lives faster.^{^}

Contact us us today to learn more about how our procedures can help you find relief from your lumbar spine arthritis. Our team can provide a free MRI review* to determine if you are a candidate for our procedures.

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