Sciatica pain can most often be treated at home. But in some situations going to the emergency room can be the best way to get pain relief.

Sciatica affects anywhere from 1% to 5% of peopleTrusted Source each year, and for many of these people, the feeling of a flare-up is all too familiar — the uncomfortable tingling, the dull burning, the painful ache that makes it hard to get comfortable.

In some cases, this pain can be severe enough that it warrants a visit to the emergency room (ER). But given that most sciatica treatments can be done at home, what can the hospital even do for sciatica pain, and when should you go to the ER for sciatica?

If you’re one of the millions of people living with sciatica, you know exactly how painful this condition can be. So, it’s no surprise that people with severe sciatica might find themselves in the ER of the hospital from time to time.

When you go to the ER for severe sciatica pain, their primary approach will be to offer you some form of pain relief. Here are some of the medicationsTrusted Source that the hospital may use to help reduce your pain levels:

  • Pain medications: Sometimes over-the-counter (OTC) pain medications aren’t strong enough to break through severe sciatica pain. In these situations, stronger nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), opioids, and nonopioids analgesics may be used for pain relief.
  • Muscle relaxants: Muscle relaxants are a type of medication that may help reduce severe sciatica pain during flare-ups. Although muscle relaxants don’t directly provide pain relief, they can help relax the back muscles to prevent painful muscle spasms.
  • Anticonvulsants: Anticonvulsant medications are primarily used to treat epilepsy, however, they may also be used as a treatment option for nerve pain. In cases of severe sciatica, anticonvulsants like gabapentin may be used for pain relief.
  • Corticosteroids: Corticosteroids are one of the most common medications prescribed to help reduce inflammation in the body. When it comes to sciatica pain, corticosteroids may help reduce the inflammation and pain associated with the inflamed nerves in the back.

Although the hospital can offer treatment options for acute episodes of sciatica pain, it’s important to understand that chronic sciatica usually requires long-term treatment. You should always follow up with your doctor after any hospital visit for sciatica pain to discuss other treatment options that you can take advantage of at home.

Did you know?

All of the medications mentioned above can also be prescribed by outpatient clinics. The only difference between the two locations would be that the medications can be given by IV in an ER and not in a clinic.

Some outpatient locations and telemedicine have restrictions about prescribing controlled substances also. Still, a regular clinic with in-person care can prescribe oral versions of all of those medications and get you some relief from sciatica pain.

Sciatica is often treatedTrusted Source with lifestyle changes, pain relief medications, heat/ice therapy, and physical therapy, all of which can help alleviate the pain and discomfort associated with the condition.

Generally, this treatment is done either at home or in a doctor’s office. But in some cases, an ER visit might be warrantedTrusted Source for severe lower back pain when other treatments can’t help.

It’s also important to be aware of other serious symptoms that require immediate medical attention. If you’re experiencing any of the following symptoms you should seek medical attention right away as this could indicate a more serious problem:

  • severe pain on both sides of your hip
  • weakness or numbness in your legs or genitals
  • sudden trouble urinating or defecating

Here are a few more things to keep in mind when it comes to living with, and managing, sciatica pain.

Sciatica develops when the sciatic nerve, the long nerve that runs from the buttocks down the back of the legs, becomes irritated, inflamed, or compressed.

If you have sciatica and have noticed an increase in pain levels, it’s possible that lack of exercise, frequent sitting, or something else is causing more irritation and inflammation in the nerve.

While there are multiple medications that work well for sciatica pain, intravenous corticosteroids may be one of the most effective pain relief options for sciatica.

According to one smaller study, a once-daily injection of dexamethasone was effective at reducing pain and shortening the length of stay in 70% of orthopedic inpatients with sciatica-related pain.

In mild to moderate sciatica, you can usually work with your primary care doctor for at-home treatments, such as medications, stretching, and hot and cold therapy.

But for more severe sciatica, orthopedists, neurologists, physical therapists, and chiropractors can all be an integral part of someone’s care team to help them manage their long-term symptoms and find relief.

Sciatica pain can be a debilitating part of life for the millions of people who experience severe sciatica flare-ups every year. And for people who experience this severe pain, when at-home treatments can’t provide the pain relief they need to feel better, a visit to the ER at the hospital can help.

If you do end up in the hospital for sciatica pain, it’s always important to follow up with your doctor to let them know about your symptoms and to discuss alternative treatment options, if needed.