Sciatica

Overview:

Sciatica is a type of pain that radiates from your lower back down through the buttock and back of your leg. Sciatica typically affects one side of the body. This pain originates from irritation of the nerves in your lower back that are most commonly caused a herniated disc, or bone spur.

Symptoms:

The pain you experience can radiate from the lower back area all the way down the back of the leg and can be debilitating. They quality of the pain can vary from more of an achy type pain to a sharp or burning type pain. You may experience numbness, tingling, pins and needles or weakness in your leg. These symptoms can be made worse with prolonged sitting, or staying in one position for too long.

Causes:

These symptoms originate from irritation of the nerves causing a “pinching” or irritation of the nerves. Although the more common causes are herniated discs or bone spurs, other causes that are less common could be a tumor or a result from a systemic disease like diabetes.

When to see your doctor:

If the pain you are experiencing is more than just a mild ache, and it has failed to improve with a week of rest, you should see your doctor for further evaluation.