You might feel the discomfort almost anywhere along the nerve pathway, but it's especially likely to follow a path from your low back to your buttock and the back of your thigh and calf. The pain can vary widely, from a mild ache to a sharp, burning sensation or excruciating pain.
Sometimes it can feel like a jolt or electric shock. It can be worse when you cough or sneeze, and prolonged sitting can aggravate symptoms. Usually only one side of your body is affected. Some people also have numbness, tingling or muscle weakness in the affected leg or foot. You might have pain in one part of your leg and numbness in another part. Mild sciatica usually goes away over time. Call your doctor if self-care measures fail to ease your symptoms or if your pain lasts longer than a week, is severe or becomes progressively worse.
Get immediate medical care if:. The rubbery disks that lie between the vertebrae in your spine consist of a soft center nucleus surrounded by a tougher exterior annulus. A herniated disk occurs when a portion of the nucleus pushes through a crack in the annulus.
Symptoms may occur if the herniation compresses a nerve. As your spine ages, it's more likely to experience bone spurs or herniated disks. Anything that irritates this nerve can cause pain, ranging from mild to severe. Sciatica is usually caused by a compressed nerve in the lower spine.
However, sciatica is not just limited to the back. The sciatic nerve is the longest and widest nerve in the human body. It runs from the lower back, through the buttocks, and down the legs, ending just below the knee. This nerve controls several muscles in the lower legs and supplies sensation to the skin of the foot and the majority of the lower leg.
Sciatica is not a condition, but rather a symptom of another problem involving the sciatic nerve. Some experts estimate that up to 40 percent of people will experience sciatica at least once in their life. The main symptom is a shooting pain anywhere along the sciatic nerve; from the lower back, through the buttock, and down the back of either leg. Not all painkillers are suitable for everyone; individuals should be sure to review options with their doctor.
Treatment of chronic sciatica usually involves a combination of self-care measures and medical treatment:. Surgery may be an option if symptoms have not responded to other treatments and continue to intensify. Surgical options include:. Depending on the cause of sciatica, a surgeon will go over the risks and benefits of surgery and be able to suggest a suitable surgical option.
There are many ways to relieve the pressure on the sciatic nerve through exercise. Share on Pinterest In the sitting spinal stretch, turn to your side to help relieve pressure on the sciatic nerve.
Standing hamstring stretch. Share on Pinterest To do the standing hamstring stretch, begin by standing, and place your right foot on a higher surface, like a chair. Illustration by Maya Chastain. Basic seated stretch. Share on Pinterest While stretching each leg in the basic seated stretch, remember to keep your back straight. Standing piriformis stretch. Share on Pinterest You can hold your hands on your hips for extra balance while in the standing piriformis stretch. Groin and long adductor muscle stretch.
Share on Pinterest In the groin and long adductor muscle stretch, angle your torso toward the floor. Illustration by Alyssa Kiefer. Scissor hamstring stretch. Share on Pinterest By bending down in the scissor hamstring stretch, you can reduce the pressure of the hamstring muscles on the sciatic nerve.
Exercise with care. Read this next. How to Ease Sciatica Without Surgery. Medically reviewed by William Morrison, M. Slipped Herniated Disc. Back Pain? Lower Back Pain Treatment Options. Pain relief basics. A positive mental attitude, regular activity, and a prompt return to work are all very important elements of recovery. If regular job duties cannot be performed initially, modified light or restricted duty may be prescribed for a limited time.
Usually caused by compression of the 5th lumbar spinal nerve. Also used to describe pain along the sciatic nerve that radiates down the leg. This information is not intended to replace the medical advice of your health care provider.
Patients who come to Mayfield with neck and back problems are given a rapid review of their medical condition within a few days, not weeks. It's a treatment process called Priority Consult. Nearly 80 percent of our spine patients are able to recover with nonsurgical treatment. But when physical therapy, medications, and spinal injections fail to relieve neck or back pain, we help patients with surgery.
To make an appointment call Make an Appointment. In this Mayfield Minute, Dr. Michael Kachmann discusses sciatica. Many Mayfield patients have the option of same-day, outpatient surgery at our spine surgery center. Leg pain, sciatica Overview Sciatica is a shooting pain that begins in the lower back, radiates into the buttock and down the back of one leg.
Mayfield services Patients who come to Mayfield with neck and back problems are given a rapid review of their medical condition within a few days, not weeks.
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