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 |  | With Health Insurance: Copays + 10%-50% Coinsurance |  | Without Health Insurance: $1,000-$90,000+ |
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Sciatica -- pain, numbness or tingling radiating down the leg -- typically is caused by a medical condition such as a herniated disc, spinal stenosis, an injury or other problem that results in pressure on or irritation of the sciatic nerve.
Typical costs: | - For patients covered by health insurance, out-of-pocket costs typically consist of doctor visit copays, prescription drug copays or coinsurance of 10%-50%. Treatment for sciatica typically is covered by insurance, but certain treatments -- such as spinal decompression or acupuncture -- might be excluded, depending on the plan.
- For patients not covered by health insurance, treatment for sciatica can range from about $500 for warm compresses, over-the-counter or prescription pain reliever and rest; it can cost $50-$350 per session -- or a total of hundreds to thousands of dollars -- for physical therapy; it can cost $1,000-$5,000 or more per year for epidural steroid injections, or for anticonvulsant medications prescribed to treat nerve pain; and it can cost about $20,000-$90,000 or more for surgery, depending on the facility and the type of surgery.
- For example, Drugstore.com charges about $10-$12 for a one-month supply of a generic tricyclic antidepressant such as nortriptyline[1] or amitriptyline, which have been shown to relieve pain in some patients with sciatica. It charges about $75 or more, depending on dose, for the generic prescription pain reliever tolmetin sodium[2] . Drugstore.com charges about $20-$100 or more for a one-month supply of the generic drug gabapentin[3] , an anticonvulsant also used to treat neurological pain, and charges from less than $70 to $400 or more for the brand-name equivalent, Neurontin[4] . Drugstore.com charges from less than $100 to $250 or more for a one-month supply of the anticonvulsant medication Lyrica[5] , also used for neurological pain.
- Physical therapy typically costs $50-$350 per session. Saint Elizabeth Regional Medical Center[6] in Nebraska charges about $1,000 to $1,500 for an epidural steroid injection, not including doctor fee, with an additional $500 for fluoroscopy, a special kind of X-ray, to guide the needle. And Saint Elizabeth Regional Medical Center[7] charges about $12,000-$16,000, not including doctor fee, for a laminotomy, a surgery that removes part of the lamina, the bony layer covering the spinal cord. Herniated disc surgery typically costs $20,000-$50,000 or more. And a laminectomy, a surgery that removes the lamina entirely, typically costs $50,000-$90,000.
Related articles: Acupuncture, Physical Therapy, Spinal Decompression, Herniated Disc Surgery, Back Surgery, Cane
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What should be included: | - A doctor might first prescribe pain medication and rest. The>University of Maryland Medical Center has information on medications[8] used for sciatica pain. According to WebMD[9] , it is fairly common for sciatica symptoms to resolve with time. If that does not happen, or if symptoms are severe, a doctor might prescribe a tricyclic antidepressant[10] or an anticonvulsant medication such as gabapentin[11] (brand name Neurontin) or pregabalin[12] (brand name Lyrica). Or, the doctor might recommend epidural steroid injections[13] .
- A doctor might recommend physical therapy to improve strength and flexibility and relieve pain. The University of Maryland Medical Center has information[14] on exercise, physical therapy and sciatica.
- If other treatments do not work, and/or if there is an underlying condition such as a herniated disk or spinal stenosis, surgery such as a microdiscectomy or laminectomy might be recommended. Spine-Health.com offers an overview[15] of surgery for sciatica.
Additional costs: | - Some patients require a cane, which typically costs about $15-$80, or a walker, which can cost up to $200 or more.
- Some patients require a back brace or corset, which can cost up to $200 or more.
Discounts: | - Many hospitals and doctors give discounts of up to 30% or more to uninsured/cash-paying patients. For example, Washington Hospital Healthcare System[16] in California offers a 35% discount.
- Some drug manufacturers offer patient assistance programs. Any patient without prescription drug coverage who also is not eligible for Medicare typically qualifies for the Together Rx Access[17] , a discount card that offers 25%-40% off brand-name drugs from many pharmaceutical companies. Most companies also offer free drugs to patients who have no coverage and meet certain criteria.
Shopping for sciatica treatment: | - Spine-Health.com offers a locator for spine centers[18] with teams of specialists who all focus on treatment of spine-related disorders. Or, the American Academy of Neurology offers a neurologist locator[19] . A neurologist should be board-certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology[20] . The American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery offers an orthopaedic surgeon finder[21] . And the American Board of Neurological Surgery offers a neurosurgeon locator[22] .
- The American Physical Therapy Association offers a physical-therapist locator. Physical therapists are licensed at the state level after passing an exam, and it is important to verify that a provider is licensed.
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Material on this page is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice. Always consult your physician or pharmacist regarding medications or medical procedures.
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What People Are Paying - Recent Comments |
| Posted by: Janette Santiago in Quarryville, PA. | Posted: October 23rd, 2015 04:10AM |
| Type of Treatment: Physical Therapy | Insurance Carrier: None |
| Medical Center: Dr. Daniel B. Neff, PT |
From my experience Physical Therapy was the best first approach to treating my sciatica pain. I have disc herniation on my S1 and L5. I would walk into physical therapist's office with the worst pain I have ever experienced. My pain was an 8 almost a 9 in a scale of 10. I went to physical therapy 2 to 3 days a week for the period of approximately three months and when I would leave physical therapy I felt like a new person with my pain subsiding from almost a 9 to a 2 and that is magnificent when it comes to sciatica nerve pain. |
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External Resources: | - www.drugstore.com/nortriptyline-hcl/pamelor/10mg-capsules/qxn00591578601
- www.drugstore.com/tolmetin-sodium/tolectin/200mg-tablets/qxn53489050601
- www.drugstore.com/gabapentin/qxdgabapentin
- www.drugstore.com/neurontin/qxdneurontin
- www.drugstore.com/lyrica/qxdlyrica
- tp.chi.acelogicus.net/nese/Default.aspx
- tp.chi.acelogicus.net/nese/Default.aspx
- www.umm.edu/patiented/articles/how_serious_low_back_pain_or_sciatica_000054_5.htm
- www.webmd.com/back-pain/tc/sciatica-topic-overview
- www.spine-health.com/treatment/pain-medication/antidepressants-definitive-guide
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0000940/
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0000327/
- www.spine-health.com/treatment/injections/lumbar-epidural-steroid-injections-low-b...
- www.umm.edu/patiented/articles/what_treatments_uncomplicated_acute_low_back_pain_o...
- www.spine-health.com/conditions/sciatica/sciatica-surgery
- www.whhs.com/about/washington-hospital-discount-policy-for-uninsured/
- www.togetherrxaccess.com/p/prescription-savings/about-together-rx-access/enroll.aspx
- www.spine-health.com/doctor/spine-center
- patients.aan.com/findaneurologist/
- application.abpn.com/verifycert/verifycert.asp
- www.abos.org/find-a-certified-orthopaedic-surgeon.aspx
- www.abns.org/diplomates/default.aspx
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