Pinched Nerve in Lower Back

That electric pain shooting down your leg probably did not start there. In most cases, it starts in your lower back, where a disc, a bone spur, or a narrowed spinal canal is compressing a nerve root. Rest and over-the-counter pills rarely fix it because they never touch the actual problem, which is pressure on the nerve. Our physicians locate the exact nerve involved and relieve that pressure without traditional spine surgery, at five offices across DFW. Schedule a consultation with Pain & Spine Physicians by calling 972-350-0225 or contact us online.

Is It a Pinched Nerve or a Pulled Muscle?

A strained muscle hurts where the injury is. A pinched nerve hurts along the path the nerve travels, which is why the two get confused so often. Signs that point to a nerve, not a muscle, include:

• Sharp, electric, or burning pain that runs from your lower back into your buttock, thigh, or foot
• Numbness or tingling that follows one consistent path down the leg
• Weakness, such as your foot slapping the ground or your knee giving out
• Pain that spikes when you sit, cough, or sneeze
• Symptoms on one side of the body rather than a general ache across the back

If several of these sound familiar, treating the muscle will not get you anywhere. The nerve is the target.

What Is Pressing on the Nerve?

Back problems are remarkably common, and nerve compression accounts for a large share of cases that fail to improve on their own.

The most frequent culprit is a herniated disc. When the soft center of a spinal disc pushes through its outer wall, it can press directly on a nerve root, and the leaking disc material also triggers inflammation that irritates the nerve even further. Spinal stenosis, a gradual narrowing of the canal the nerves pass through, does the same thing more slowly and tends to show up after age 50. Bone spurs from arthritis and vertebrae that have slipped out of alignment can also crowd a nerve root.

Each cause responds to different treatment, which is why an exact diagnosis comes before anything else at our offices.

Treatment That Targets the Nerve, Not Just the Pain

Left untreated, a compressed nerve can turn acute pain from a recent disc injury into chronic pain that is far harder to reverse. Once your physician confirms which nerve is involved, your plan may include:

• Epidural steroid injections placed under image guidance at the exact level of the compression
• Selective nerve root blocks to confirm which nerve is generating your symptoms
• Spinal cord stimulation for nerve pain that has outlasted other treatments
• Physical therapy built around positions and movements that take pressure off the nerve
• Short-term medication support while the underlying compression is treated

Precision is the difference-maker here. An injection an inch off target accomplishes nothing, so every procedure at our clinics is performed under live imaging, in-office, with no hospital stay.

When a Pinched Nerve Is an Emergency

Go to an emergency room the same day if you develop numbness in the groin or inner thighs, lose control of your bladder or bowels, or notice weakness spreading into both legs or arms. Those symptoms can mean severe compression of the spinal cord or the nerve bundle at its base, and hours matter.

Why DFW Patients Bring Nerve Pain to Pain & Spine Physicians

Nerve pain punishes imprecision, so we built our practice around getting the diagnosis right the first time. Each of our physicians is board-certified in pain medicine, a credential that requires completing a fellowship in pain medicine after residency. You will not be bounced between a diagnosing doctor, an outside imaging center, and a separate surgical facility.

Evaluation and treatment happen under one roof in new facilities designed around modern interventional technology, keeping your costs lower and your care consistent. Since lasting relief depends on your overall health, your plan includes the strength and movement work that keeps the nerve from getting pinched again.

Frequently Asked Questions About Pinched Nerves

Can a Pinched Nerve in the Lower Back Heal on Its Own?

Sometimes. Mild compression from a small disc bulge often settles within a few weeks as swelling goes down. If symptoms last beyond four to six weeks, worsen, or include numbness or weakness, the nerve needs a professional evaluation before the damage becomes lasting.

Is Walking Good for a Pinched Nerve?

Usually, yes. Gentle walking keeps blood flowing to the nerve and prevents the stiffness that bed rest causes. Stop and modify your activity if walking worsens your leg symptoms, as that pattern can indicate spinal stenosis.

How Do You Know If the Nerve Is Permanently Damaged?

Constant numbness, ongoing weakness, or visible muscle atrophy in your leg are the main warning signs. A nerve conduction study, which our physicians can order, measures how well the nerve is functioning and indicates whether the damage can still be reversed.

Stop Guessing About Your Back Pain

You have probably already tried waiting this out. If the pain is still traveling down your leg, the next step is to find out exactly which nerve is involved and take the pressure off it. Schedule with Pain & Spine Physicians by calling 972-350-0225, or contact us online and get on the calendar this week.