Lumbosacral Radiculopathy Symptoms, Causes, Treatments & Risk Factors

Compression of the external spinal nerve roots (L1-S4) causes this damage. Tingling, radiating pain, numbness, paresthesia, and shooting pain can result from compression. Lumbar radiculopathy can occur anywhere in the spine, but it is most common in the lower back and neck. Middle-spine radiculopathy is rare.

Understanding Of Lumbar Radiculopathy

Low-back nerve root irritation or inflammation is lumbar radiculopathy. Back symptoms spread to one or both legs. Understanding spine parts helps explain this condition:

• Vertebrae: Stacking bones form the spine. Five bottom vertebrae make up the lumbar spine.

• Discs:  These are soft tissues between vertebrae. They absorb spine shock.

• Spinal Canal:  This is a vertebral tunnel. Lumbar nerves pass through this canal.

• Nerves: These branch from the spinal canal to other body parts. Nerves leave the spinal canal through vertebral openings. Nerve roots are closest to the spinal canal.

• Sciatic nerve: A large low back nerve originates from several nerve roots. This nerve runs from the back of the leg to the foot, which can cause left lumbar radiculopathy. 

Lumbar radiculopathy irritates low-back nerve roots. It causes pain and symptoms. The sciatic nerve is often involved, so it's called sciatica.

Causes Of Lumbar Radiculopathy

Aging, injury, poor posture, obesity, and other factors can cause low back pain. Problems may irritate nerve roots. Among them:

• Lumbar disc damage: A damaged disc may press on nearby nerve roots.

• Degeneration from age and wear: This can narrow (stenosis) vertebral openings. Nerve roots leaving the spinal canal are compressed by narrowed openings.

• Unsteady spine: Vertebrae slip forward. It can press nerve roots.

Other rare things can press on low back nerves. Cancer, infection, and diabetes are examples.

Lumbar Radiculopathy Symptoms

The most common radiculopathy symptom is pain. Electric, burning, or sharp pain may worsen with activity. You may feel pain down:

• Hips 

• Groin Area

• Leg

Other symptoms of lumbar radiculopathy include

• Weakness

• Reflex loss

• Problems with numbness and pins and needles walking

• Low back pain.

• Buttocks, hip, groin, or leg pain; numbness; tingling; or muscle weakness.

• Muscle cramps.

Who is At Risk Of Lumbar Radiculopathy?

A 2019 review found that age is the main risk factor for lumbar radiculopathy. The peak age is 45–64. The 2019 review suggests men are affected in their 40s and women in their 50s and 60s. Some subgroups of women are more at risk than men. The 2019 review found that women in physically demanding careers like military service are at higher risk.

Other risk factors for lumbar radiculopathy include:

• Driving

• Frequent lifting

• Poor form or twisting

• Heavy industrial work

• History of back trauma.

• Taller height, smoking, chronic cough

• Being overweight, inactive, and having multiple pregnancies

Lumbar Radiculopathy Treatments

Treatment for lumbar radiculopathy depends on the cause and severity of symptoms. Conservative treatment usually precedes surgery. About 90% of disc herniation-related back pain patients improve within 3 months without surgery. 

Your Pain Clinic in Plano will usually start with symptom-relieving treatments. They may include:

• Prescription and OTC painkillers. These reduce swelling, pain, and irritation.

• Pain-causing positions and activities are limited. But lying in bed or not moving is only recommended for a short time.

• Physical therapy, stretching, and exercises are the lumbar radiculopathy treatments. This reduces pain and improves mobility.

• Lower-back steroid injections. This may temporarily relieve symptoms.

• Program to lose weight. Overweight people may benefit from losing weight.

• Surgery may be needed to fix the issue. This depends on the cause, symptoms, and pain duration.

Exercises

Pain Doctors in Dallas recommend staying active after an injury. McKenzie exercises may relieve symptoms temporarily, according to the 2019 review. These exercises are best done with a physical therapist or other professional. Exercises may involve lying flat and facedown, propped on elbows with spine extended. Prop yourself up with fully extended elbows, extending your spine while standing with hands on your lower back.

OTC Drugs

For pain management, the pain management in Dallas may prescribe OTC medications. NSAIDs like ibuprofen and Tylenol are examples.

Medical Care

If OTC pain medications fail, your pain doctors in Fort Worth may suggest injections like epidurals or facet injections to reduce inflammation and pain.

Injections And Surgery

An injection usually contains an anti-inflammatory and a long-lasting anesthetic. There is debate on when to consider surgery for lumbar radiculopathy. The Pain Control Clinic rarely recommends surgery until other treatments have failed for 4–8 weeks. The cause of radiculopathy determines the surgery. Diskectomy, the removal of the injured disc, is the best treatment for disc herniation.

Takeaway