Not everyone needs surgery but for the patients with sciatica who can benefit from surgery, the procedure depends on the nerve causes. It could be a simple hour-long outpatient procedure with a small incision to remove a disc rupture, or it could be a longer, more invasive surgery for someone who has multiple levels of lumbar spinal stenosis. Fusion procedures are generally for patients who have either breaks in their spine or a misaligned spine.

What are some alternative treatments for sciatica?

When will sciatica go away?