Sciatica Treatment Specialists in NYC

Key Facts About Sciatica Treatment

• Sciatica (lumbar radiculopathy) develops when a lower-back nerve is compressed or irritated, often due to a herniated disc, spinal stenosis, or degenerative changes.
• Common symptoms include sharp or radiating leg pain, lower back pain, numbness, tingling, and muscle weakness, often worsened by sitting, standing, or walking.
• Risk factors include prolonged sitting, repetitive strain, excess weight, and age-related spine changes.
• Sciatica is a symptom of another spinal condition, so an accurate diagnosis from a spine specialist is essential.
• We prioritize non-surgical care, including physical therapy, targeted exercises, medications, acupuncture, medical massage, trigger point injections, and epidural steroid injections.
• When symptoms don’t improve or when nerve compression is severe, we offer minimally invasive surgical options designed to relieve pressure and restore function.
• Treatment plans are personalized by board-certified pain and spine specialists who focus on long-term recovery and prevention of future flare-ups.
• Our NYC and NJ locations provide convenient access to diagnostics, interventional treatments, surgical care, and rehabilitation under one roof.
• Our team has extensive experience treating sciatica and helping patients return to daily activity safely and efficiently.

What Is Sciatica Pain?

Sciatica is a medical condition that can cause mild to crippling pain. Most commonly, the pain due to nerve compression extends from the lower back down to the hips and buttocks, but the condition can also appear as leg pain and numbness. If you have leg pain, sciatica usually affects only one leg at a time.

The pain is often described as a burning or sharp sensation and can range from moderate to severely debilitating. Specific movements or postural changes, such as twisting, bending forward, prolonged sitting, or standing up from a seated position, may trigger or worsen the symptoms.

What Are Common Sciatica Symptoms?

Your symptoms may vary because they depend on the location and severity of the nerve compression you’re experiencing. For some individuals, the pain from sciatica is irritating yet bearable. For others, the pain is severe and debilitating, forcing you to withdraw from your active lifestyle. Due to the location of the sciatic nerve, certain activities — such as prolonged sitting and quick movements — may increase your sciatica pain.

Other common symptoms include:

• Pain on one side of your buttocks or in one leg that becomes worse when sitting
• A burning or tingling sensation down one leg
• Weakness, numbness, or difficulty moving the affected leg or foot
• A constant pain in one side of your lower back
• A sharp pain that can make it difficult to stand or walk

What Causes Sciatica?

The pain you feel is often due to pressure or irritation of your sciatic nerve, which runs from your lower back down each leg. Most often, the irritation on your sciatic nerve originates from spine conditions that include herniated discs or spinal stenosis in your lumbar spine.

Other causes of sciatica include:

• Spinal injuries, including sports injuries
• Degenerative disc disease
• Spondylolisthesis or a slipped disc
• A spinal tumor in very rare cases

The risk of sciatica increases with age, the development of osteoarthritis of the spine, or a prior back injury. Jobs that require heavy lifting or a lot of sitting increase the risk of back problems. Being overweight, smoking, or having an inactive lifestyle also contribute to an increased risk of sciatica.

Risk Factors for Sciatica

While sciatica can affect people at different stages of life, certain factors make it more likely to occur. Understanding these risks can help you take steps to protect your spine and address symptoms early.
Common risk factors for sciatica include:

• Age – Disc problems are more common between ages 30 and 50, while spinal narrowing is more likely after 60
• Prolonged sitting – Long periods of sitting increase pressure on the lower back and spinal discs
• Heavy lifting and repetitive twisting – These motions strain the lumbar spine and raise the risk of disc injury
• Family history – Some spine conditions can run in families
• Sedentary lifestyle – Weak core and back muscles offer less spinal support
• Long hours of driving – Extended driving places added stress on the lower back
• Smoking – Reduces blood flow to spinal tissues and speeds up disc degeneration
• Physically demanding activities – Repeated lifting or bending can lead to nerve compression
• Obesity – Extra weight increases stress on the lower spine
• Arthritis – Inflammation can narrow spinal spaces and irritate nerves
• Pregnancy – Weight changes and hormonal shifts can increase pressure on the sciatic nerve
• Diabetes – Nerve damage linked to diabetes may intensify sciatic symptoms

Some risk factors can’t be changed, but many can be managed with early care and lifestyle adjustments. Identifying what’s putting pressure on the sciatic nerve is the first step toward effective treatment. With proper medical care and targeted strategies, sciatica pain can often be reduced and future episodes prevented.

How is Sciatica Diagnosed?

Accurate diagnosis is essential for effective treatment. At New York Pain Care, we use advanced technology, including X-rays, MRIs, CT scans, and electromyography, to identify the precise cause of your sciatica, ensuring no detail is overlooked.

Our doctors conduct a thorough physical exam and review your medical history to uncover any risk factors or underlying issues contributing to your condition. With a clear diagnosis, we can create a tailored treatment plan to address your specific needs.

Our Board certified doctors

Amr Hosny, MD, MBA, FASA David Chu, MD, FAAPMR Vivek Mehta, MD, FAAPMR Deepali Gupta, MD, DABA, DABPM

What Are the Treatment Options for Sciatica?

One of the best sciatica specialists at New York Pain Care reviews your health history and performs a physical exam during your consultation. Your doctor may also request diagnostic imaging to locate the source of your sciatica pain. That determination drives the treatment you’ll receive. The goal is to treat your sciatica pain using interventional treatments to help you avoid sciatica surgery.

Image testing may include:

• X-rays
• Magnetic resonance imaging or MRI
• Computerized tomography scan, also called a CT scan

Your top-rated NYC sciatica doctors have years of experience providing non-surgical sciatica treatments over a few weeks to a few months, depending on the severity of your sciatica pain. The top NYC sciatica specialists at New York Pain Care include spine doctors, back pain doctors, and pain management specialists, all working together to relieve your pain.

Treatment options for sciatica include combining:

• Physical therapy
• Muscle strengthening
• Manual therapy
• Trigger point injections
• Other specialized techniques, such as acupuncture
• Prescription pain relievers or muscle relaxants
• Sciatica surgery, in cases where you have severe nerve pain

Dr. Hosny is a board‑certified, Harvard‑trained pain specialist with extensive experience evaluating and treating sciatica. At the state-of-the-art New York Pain Care facilities, he uses the latest medical technology to diagnose the underlying source of nerve involvement and provide personalized, minimally invasive treatments tailored to each patient’s symptoms, anatomy, and functional goals. You receive compassionate care and honest answers, with a strong emphasis on patient education to ensure you understand your diagnosis, available treatment options, expected recovery, and that results and healing may vary based on individual anatomy and response to therapy.

Our Patients Talk About Their Sciatica Treatment Experience

What Do I Do Next?

If you’re experiencing any of the sciatica symptoms or believe you may have sciatica, consider consulting a sciatica doctor in NYC or NJ. By diagnosing the condition and your degree of pain, your sciatica specialist can provide the right level of treatment for you. At New York Pain Care, a team of doctors offers multiple non-surgical sciatica treatment options to relieve your pain. Contact the nearest location or book an appointment online now.

Why Choose Dr. Amr Hosny, MD, MBA, FASA for Sciatica Treatment

At New York Pain Care, sciatica treatment is guided by a fellowship‑trained interventional spine specialist who understands the complex nature of nerve‑related pain and its impact on daily life. Dr. Amr Hosny, MD, MBA, FASA, specializes in non-surgical, minimally invasive care designed to relieve sciatic pain, improve nerve function, and support long-term mobility tailored to each patient’s specific symptoms and lifestyle.

Dr. Hosny brings over 15 years of experience treating both acute and chronic sciatic nerve pain caused by herniated discs, spinal stenosis, degenerative changes, and other spinal conditions that compress or irritate the sciatic nerve. He completed his residency at St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital Center (affiliated with Columbia University) and advanced fellowship training in Interventional Spine Medicine at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, a teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School. This extensive training enables him to deliver advanced, image‑guided treatments that reduce pain, restore function, and help patients return to their everyday activities.

In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. Hosny has served as an Assistant Professor at New York Medical College and as Director of the Interventional Spine and Pain Medicine Fellowship Program, where he has trained and mentored more than 100 physicians. His academic and leadership roles reflect a deep commitment to evidence‑based medicine and excellence in pain management.

A Castle Connolly Top Doctor, Dr. Hosny is recognized for his structured treatment planning, meticulous technique, and individualized patient care. By combining comprehensive pain management strategies with advanced interventional procedures, he helps patients alleviate sciatica pain, enhance their quality of life, and regain confidence in their movement.

The Bottom Line

Sciatica (lumbar radiculopathy) occurs when the sciatic nerve is irritated or compressed, causing lower back and leg pain. Early treatment with physical therapy, injections, or acupuncture can relieve pain and restore mobility.

New York Pain Care’s board-certified specialists provide personalized non-surgical care for sciatica pain, and minimally invasive surgical options are available for severe cases. Call (212) 604-1300 today to schedule a consultation and start your path to relief.

Do you have questions about sciatica pain treatment? Would you like to schedule an appointment with our Harvard-trained pain management specialists in New York or New Jersey? Contact our office today to arrange a consultation and choose the location most convenient for you.

New York Pain Care
20 Squadron Blvd, Suite 290
New City, NY 10956
(212) 242-8160

This content was co-authored and medically reviewed by the expert team at New York Pain Care, a leading New York City and New Jersey practice specializing in interventional spine and comprehensive pain management. The team is led by Dr. Amr Hosny, MD, MBA, FASA, a board-certified interventional spine specialist with over 15 years of experience in non-surgical and minimally invasive treatments for neck, back, joint, and orthopedic pain. Dr. Hosny and his team have performed over 20,000 outpatient procedures, delivering safe, effective, and patient-centered care. With decades of combined expertise, the team ensures all content reflects the most accurate, current, and authoritative guidance in pain diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation.