Radiculitis

Radiculitis or Radicular Pain, is transferred pain "radiated" along the path of a nerve due to pressure on the nerve root at its connection to the spinal column. A common form of radiculitis is sciatica, or radicular pain that radiates along the sciatic nerve from the lower spine to the lower back, gluteal muscles, back of the upper thigh, calf, and foot as often caused by nerve root compression from a lumbar disc herniation or bone spurs in the lumbar region of the spine.

Symptoms

The symptoms of radiculitis may change from one patient to the next, depending on which nerve root is affected. For example, if the nerve root connected to L5 in the lumbar region is compromised, a classic symptom is numbness in the big toe and on the big toe's side of the foot. The outside of the calf may feel and the hip flexor may also experience severe pain. These are all regions that the sciatic nerve (connected to L5) runs through.

Treatment

Arthroscopic Laser Debridement of the Spinous Process

The spinous process is the portion of the vertebrae that protrudes from the back of the spinal column. Spinous processes create the "bumps" on the midline of the back. A. Using local and IV anesthesia and X-rays for guidance, specially designed instruments are inserted directly over the affected spinous process. The laser is then used to obliterate the medial branch of the spinal nerve.