Sciatica Treatment in Sharjah
Medically reviewed by Dar Al Kamal Team
What is sciatica treatment?
Sciatica is a description of where pain travels rather than a diagnosis in itself. The sciatic nerve is formed from several nerve roots leaving the lower spine, and it runs through the buttock and down the back of the thigh before dividing to supply the calf and foot. When one of those roots is pressed on or inflamed, pain is felt along its path, often more sharply in the leg than in the back.
Typical descriptions include a burning or electric pain down one leg, pins and needles in the foot, a band of numbness along the shin or the outer edge of the foot, and pain that builds with sitting. Treatment has two jobs: finding which root is irritated and why, then calming it so you can move, work and sleep.
At Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah, sciatica is assessed and treated by the neurosurgeon in the Neurosurgery department.
Who needs it
This page is for adults whose leg pain seems to start in the back. The common causes are:
- A disc herniation, the usual cause in people under about fifty, where soft disc material presses on a root. The disc pathway is set out on herniated disc treatment.
- Lumbar spinal stenosis, a narrowing of the canal or the side openings with age, which tends to bring aching legs on walking that ease with sitting.
- Less common causes, including a slipped vertebra, or tightness of the piriformis muscle deep in the buttock irritating the nerve. Piriformis syndrome is a rarer explanation and is considered once spinal causes have been examined.
If the pain stays in the back and above the knee, it usually fits the pattern on back pain treatment instead.
What happens
The consultation starts with a map of your pain. The neurosurgeon asks where it travels, which toes tingle, and whether coughing or sitting sets it off, because each lower lumbar root supplies its own strip of skin. Pain reaching the top of the foot and big toe points to one root; pain along the sole and outer foot points to the one below.
The examination then tests the nerves directly:
- Straight-leg raise. Lying on your back, the leg is lifted with the knee straight. This gently stretches the lower roots, and pain shooting below the knee supports sciatica. If lifting the painless leg brings on pain in the sore one, this crossed test is a specific sign of a disc pressing on a root.
- Walking on heels and toes, to check the muscles each root controls.
- Reflexes and sensation, at the knee, ankle and foot.
An MRI is requested when symptoms persist beyond the early weeks, when weakness is present, or when an injection or surgery is being weighed. The scan is read against your examination, and only a finding that matches your leg pain guides treatment.
Most sciatica settles with non-surgical care: staying active within comfort, pain relief chosen for your health, nerve-gliding and core exercises, and physiotherapy arranged by referral where it helps. For some people with persistent root pain, an injection near the irritated nerve root may be recommended and arranged; related injection techniques are described on nerve block procedures.
Surgery is discussed when leg pain remains disabling after a fair trial of these steps, or when weakness is getting worse. The usual operation for a disc is a microdiscectomy, and the decision is shared between you and the surgeon.
Preparing for it
Before your visit, sketch where the pain travels on a simple outline of a leg, and mark any areas of tingling or numbness. Note which positions ease it, how far you can walk, and how long you can sit in a car or at a desk before it builds.
Bring MRI images on a disc or file with the report, a list of your medicines and supplements, and a record of treatments already tried. Many insurers in the UAE require pre-approval for an MRI, so an early appointment helps start that request.
Afterwards
Sciatica usually eases gradually, with the leg pain often retreating toward the buttock before fading. Keep walking in short, frequent spells, and take regular standing breaks during long commutes between emirates and long-haul flights. Lift with your legs and keep loads close. In the summer heat, walk in cooler hours or indoors and keep well hydrated, and ask how to time pain relief if you plan to fast during Ramadan.
Follow-up visits recheck strength and sensation and decide whether the plan needs to change.
Contact the hospital if leg pain is steadily worsening, or if a foot begins to drop or catch when walking. Go to the emergency department immediately if you notice numbness around the groin or inner thighs, difficulty passing urine, loss of bladder or bowel control, weakness in both legs, or back pain with fever.
Cost and insurance
Most UAE health insurance plans cover the consultation, medicines and physiotherapy within the plan's limits. An MRI, a nerve-root injection and any surgery usually need pre-approval. Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah can help you check your cover on 06 599 7777.
Related services
Frequently asked questions
How long does sciatica last?
Sciatica from a disc often improves over several weeks to a few months with non-surgical care, though the pace varies from person to person. Numbness can take longer to fade than pain, and your neurosurgeon tracks progress at follow-up visits.
What are the risks and limitations of sciatica treatment?
Non-surgical sciatica treatment carries few risks, although pain medicines can cause side effects such as stomach upset or drowsiness and recovery can be slow. A nerve-root injection carries small risks of infection, bleeding, a temporary rise in blood sugar and nerve irritation, and its relief may wear off. Surgery has its own risks, and some leg pain or numbness can persist after any treatment.
What does the straight-leg raise test show?
The straight-leg raise shows whether stretching the lower nerve roots reproduces your leg pain, which supports a diagnosis of sciatica from an irritated root. Pain in the affected leg when the other, painless leg is lifted is a particularly strong sign of a disc pressing on the nerve.
Can sciatica come from a muscle in the buttock?
Sciatica can occasionally come from the piriformis muscle in the buttock pressing on the sciatic nerve, but this is uncommon. Spinal causes such as a disc or narrowing of the canal are far more frequent and are checked first.
Do I need an MRI for sciatica?
An MRI is usually needed for sciatica that lasts beyond the first several weeks, comes with weakness or numbness, or when an injection or surgery is being considered. Many UAE insurers require pre-approval, which your doctor can request.
When is surgery considered for sciatica?
Surgery is considered for sciatica when leg pain stays disabling after a proper trial of non-surgical care, or when leg or foot weakness is progressing. Loss of bladder or bowel control, or numbness around the groin, needs immediate emergency care.
Can I get a second opinion on sciatica surgery recommended abroad?
Residents advised to have sciatica surgery in their home country or elsewhere can have their examination and MRI images reviewed at Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah before deciding. Bring the actual images and all reports to the appointment.
Departments
Book an appointment
Tell us your preferred day and time. Our team calls you back to confirm.