Sciatica pain is pain that travels along the path of the sciatic nerve. Your sciatic nerve extends from just outside your spine through your pelvis, into your buttocks, across each leg’s back thigh, and down into your foot. Having both motor (movement) and sensory fibers, it’s a mixed nerve. A major nerve in your leg, the sciatic nerve is the largest nerve in your body. Walking, running, and standing are all made possible by it.

There is a possibility that you are suffering from sciatica if you experience pain that starts in your lower back, spreads to one side, and then travels down one buttock and ultimately down the back of your leg. There are many reasons for this (for example, a motor vehicle crash), medical conditions (such as diabetes, tumors, abscesses, pregnancy, or excess weight), and spinal conditions (such as arthritis, degenerative discs, herniated discs, spondylolisthesis, or spinal stenosis).

Although sciatica can cause severe pain, most people recover from the condition within a few weeks of receiving treatment. A person with severe sciatica and leg weakness or changes in their bowels or bladders may need surgery.

In most cases, sciatica affects only one side of the lower body. The pain associated with sciatica can occur almost anywhere along the nerve pathway. There’s a high probability that it will follow a path from the low back to the buttocks, thighs, and calves. The pain may also extend to the toes or foot depending on where the sciatic nerve is affected.

Sciatica pain can present as a mild ache or a sharp burning sensation. The feeling can sometimes be similar to a jolt or electric shock. It can be made worse by coughing, sneezing, or sitting for an extended period of time.

Additionally, some people experience numbness, tingling or muscle weakness in their legs or feet. There can be pain in one part of the leg and numbness in another.

Sciatica results from a pinched sciatic nerve. Herniated disks in the spine are commonly the cause, as are over growths of bone on the spinal bones, sometimes called bone spurs. Occasionally, a tumor can put pressure on the nerve. Sciatica is commonly caused by age-related changes in the spine, such as herniated disks and bone spurs.

Several health and lifestyle influences may increase the risk factors for developing sciatica. Individuals who are overweight are more likely to experience this kind of pain because obesity increases stress on the spine. Certain workplace factors may contribute to the likelihood of sciatica such as jobs that require carrying heavy loads, twisting the back, or driving a vehicle for a prolonged period. A person who sits or doesn’t move much is more likely to develop sciatica than someone active. Nerve damage is increased by diabetes, which affects how the body uses blood sugar.

Pain specialists can, and commonly do, treat sciatica. You can find out what is causing your sciatic nerve pain by having your Pain specialist perform a physical exam, assessing your joint motions and stability, and testing your reflexes and sensations. A Pain specialist may also order lab tests to rule out any diseases that could be causing your sciatica and may order imaging studies to find out exactly where the compression is.

It is often possible to treat sciatica without resorting to surgical methods. Among the pain-relieving options are over-the-counter medications, prescription medications, and steroids.

If these methods fail to improve your symptoms, or you are experiencing significant loss of function or disabling pain, your doctor will discuss surgical options with you.

Sciatica treatment is available at the Mountain View Headache & Spine Institute. We serve patients from Phoenix AZ, Sun City AZ, Peoria AZ, Scottsdale AZ, Glendale AZ, Tempe AZ, Waddell AZ, Paradise Valley AZ, and BEYOND!