is often recommended if other less invasive measures fail to bring relief.
Unfortunately, a new study review suggests that such operations likely only
provide temporary results, with pain typically returning within a year.
Sciatica is “characterized by pain going down the back of the leg, most
often due to pressure on a spinal nerve root caused by a ruptured spinal
disc in the lower back,” said study author Christine Lin, a professor with
Sydney Musculoskeletal Health at the University of Sydney in Australia.
“The condition can also manifest as back pain, muscle weakness, and a
pins-and-needles sensation in the lower leg.We set out to investigate if
surgery was effective in relieving pain and disability in people with
sciatica caused by a ruptured [spinal] disc,” said Lin.
But after reviewing 24 prior studies, she and her colleagues concluded that
while partial removal of a ruptured disc (discectomy) did result in
short-term pain and disability relief, “the benefits reduced with time, and
at one year there were no treatment benefits compared to people who did not
have surgery.