Sciatica

“Dr. Molina, Nick, and the team are clearly practitioners who still care about the patients they serve in an era when appointments are often rushed. Their approach is unique and takes into account the newest research in chronic pain care. As a practitioner I trust this clinic as a place to send patients in need of services I don’t provide.” -Dr. Bob Griesse, HealthSource of Fairlawn

Sciatica refers to pain or discomfort associated with the sciatic nerve. This nerve runs from the lower part of the spinal cord, down the back of the leg, to the foot. Injury to or pressure on the sciatic nerve can cause the characteristic pain of sciatica: a sharp or burning pain that radiates from the lower back or hip, possibly following the path of the sciatic nerve to the foot. 

How We Help

Our focused approach to treating sciatic pain concentrates on ketamine infusion therapy. In some cases for established patients, we do provide non-ketamine infusions, still avoiding narcotics and opioids, although these infusions for flare ups tend to give relief for days to weeks instead of months to years. This saves our patients thousands of dollars (and hours of time) compared to urgent care and ER visits with providers who may not be familiar with their treatment resistant history. Treatments help reveal how much of the pain is mechanical and structural instead of related to neuroinflammation. We work closely with chiropractors, pain management practices, and physical therapists to determine the most valuable, evidence-based treatment options in each specific case.

Studies show that the NMDA antagonist ketamine is an effective, non-opioid solution for both the debilitating pain and possible psychiatric manifestations of sciatica and similar disorders. Ketamine is an anesthesia medication with potent anti-inflammatory properties that grows new connections in the nervous system, bypassing vicious cycles of pain and despair. Chronic pain patients are familiar with short-term treatments that may treat one symptom, only to exacerbate another. Many of our patients have multiple chemical sensitivities as well. Ketamine redirects the neurotransmitter glutamate to nourish the brain and build new neural networks instead of increasing hypersensitivity reactions throughout the body. Neuroplasticity and synaptogenesis occurs via a chain reaction through a natural release of Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF).