Sciatica

Sciatica

Sciatica Symptoms

Sciatica is quite common and affects almost 40% of adults. Sciatica pain traverses through the sciatic nerve, that starts in your lower back and extends to run through your hips, buttocks, legs, and feet on both the sides. This is the most distinctive sign of sciatica pain. The nerve pain primarily occurs due to irritation of the sciatic nerve. A proper sciatica diagnosis and the best sciatica treatment is all that you need to lead a pain-free life.

The symptoms of sciatica are as follows: –

  • Calf pain – pain that stretches down the lower leg and back of the knee.
  • Lower back pain running down the leg
  • A pull sensation from your lower back to buttocks and thigh, that further extends from calf to the foot.
  • A pain in your butt or leg that worsens while prolonged sitting
  • Numbness in your leg or foot
  • Tingling sensation in your extremity (lower body)
  • Persistent pain on one side of your butt
  • Muscle weakness in the distressful leg or foot
  • Shooting pain down the leg which makes it tough to stand up or extend the knee
  • Pain in one part of the leg while numbness in another part

A sensation of pins and needles only in toes or feet

Causes

  • Herniated or slipped disc – Discs are the cushions between each vertebra of the spine and pressure from them can cause the disc to bulge out, which applies pressure on the sciatic nerve.
  • Deconditioned or weak spinal muscles.
  • Spinal stenosis – abnormal narrowing of spinal canal i.e. the part of the spine where the nerve passes through, that pinches the sciatic nerve roots as they exit the spine.
  • Spondylolisthesis – when one of the vertebrae in your spine slips out of position, narrowing the opening through which the nerve exits.
  • Degenerative spine – wear and tear of spine structures which may irritate the sciatic nerve.
  • Piriformis syndrome – an uncommon neuromuscular condition that happens when the piriformis muscle becomes tight, puts pressure, and irritates the sciatic nerve.
  • Back injury
  • During or post-pregnancy
  • Lifestyle factors such as wearing high heels frequently, obesity, professions that demand prolonged sitting or repetitive bending and lifting.

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