Sciatica Pain

Sciatica pain results from irritation of the sciatic nerve. The sciatica nerve is the largest nerve in the body. It begins from nerve roots in the lumbar spinal cord in the lower back and extends through the buttock area sending nerve endings down the lower limb. The pain of sciatica is typically felt from the low back to behind the thigh and flowing down below the knee. Sciatica is most commonly a result of a disc herniation pressing on the nerve. Any cause of irritation or inflammation can reproduce the symptoms of sciatica. Such causes include irritation of the nerve from adjacent bone, muscles, internal bleeding, infections, or injury.

The symptoms of sciatica are pain, burning sensation, numbness, or tingling from the lower back and upper buttock down the back of the thigh and leg. Severe sciatica can make walking incredibly difficult, if not impossible. The symptoms are aggravated by walking or bending at the waist. Sciatica is diagnosed with a physical exam and looking into a patient’s medical history. Health care practitioners diagnose sciatica by looking at x-rays, films, CT scans, MRI scans, and electromyograms.