Pain Management: Sciatica

Sciatica is a common type of pain affecting the sciatic nerve, a large nerve extending from the lower back down the back of each leg.

What Are the Symptoms of Sciatica?

• Pain in the rear or leg that is worse when sitting
• Burning or tingling down the leg
• Weakness, numbness or difficulty moving the leg or foot
• A constant pain on one side of the rear
• A shooting pain that makes it difficult to stand up

Sciatica usually affects only one side of the lower body. Often, the pain extends from the lower back all the way through the back of the thigh and down through the leg. Depending on where the sciatic nerve is affected, the pain may also extend to the foot or toes.

For some people, the pain from sciatica can be severe and debilitating. For others, the pain from sciatica might be infrequent and irritating, but has the potential to get worse.

Seek immediate medical attention with any symptoms of progressive lower extremity weakness and/or loss of bladder or bowel control.

What Causes Sciatica?

Any condition that causes irritation to the sciatic nerve can cause the pain associated with sciatica. In many cases, sciatica is caused by pressure on the sciatic nerve from a herniated disc (also called a slipped disc or ruptured disc). Additional common causes of sciatica include:

• Lumbar spinal stenosis (narrowing of the spinal canal in the lower back)
• Degenerative disc disease (breakdown of discs, which act as cushions between the vertebrae)
• Spondylolisthesis (a condition in which one vertebra slips forward over another one)
• Pregnancy

Other things that may make your back pain worse include being overweight, not exercising regularly, wearing high heels, or sleeping on a mattress that is too soft.

• Seven Back Pain Warning Signs
• 10 Important Questions to Ask Your Doctor About Back Pain
• Symptoms and Pain Management for Sciatica
• Understanding Back Pain
• Repetitive Strain Injury
• A Brief Introduction to Whiplash
• Neck Pain is Nothing to Shrug About
• A Few Ways to Alleviate Neck Pain

• Causes of Back and Neck Injuries
• Back and Neck Injury Symptoms
• Back and Neck Injury Verdicts

• Back and Neck Injury - Neck Injury

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• Back and Neck Injury - Back Injury
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