April 20, 2024

Phoenix Lumbar Radiculopathy Injury Lawyer

What is Lumbar Radiculopathy?

Lumbar radiculopathy refers to a disorder of the spinal nerve roots in the lumbar region of the back (L1-L5). It is also a painful disturbance of function or pathologic change in one or more of your nerve roots.

As a result of lumbar radiculopathy, the central gel-like portion of the disc, called the nucleus pulposus, can rupture or herniate through the outer ring of the disc and about the spinal cord or its nerves as they exit the spinal column. Herniation is what causes the commonly recognized pain of sciatica that shoots down the leg through the sciatic nerve.

Symptoms

The following are symptoms of lumbar radiculopathy that can be experienced in your lower back, buttocks, thigh, leg, and/or foot:

Pain that radiates from the lower back to the buttocks and down to the thigh, leg, and foot
Muscle weakness
Burning or tingling feeling
Feeling of numbness
Pain that worsens while bending forward or sideways

Common Causes

In lumbar radiculopathy, damage to the disc is the result of outer ring degeneration of the disc (annulus fibrosus) or a traumatic injury, such as:

Consequences

Lumbar radiculopathy will cause pain to the lower region of your back. There may additionally be some pain to the buttocks, thighs, legs, and feet, usually following down the sciatic nerve. This is what is generally referred to as sciatica. It may be difficult for you to do any strenuous or physical activities at work or at home.

Treatment

Rest
Stretching and strengthening exercises
Non Steroidal Anti Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs)
Other stronger medications for pain
Muscle relaxants
Epidural injections

If the above does not resolve your pain and discomfort, surgery may be an option. In order to provide pain relief, the surgeon may remove part of your disc or bone (lamina). Bones of the vertebrae may also be fused to alleviate pain.

Contact Us

You can contact the Law Offices of Michael Cordova by calling us at (602) 265-6700, filling out our Case Evaluation Form, or by using our convenient website Chat Services.