Sciatica

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The term sciatica describes the symptoms of leg pain—and possibly tingling, numbness, or weakness—that originate in the lower back and travel through the buttock and down the large sciatic nerve in the back of each leg.

 

Symptoms include:

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• Constant pain in only one side of the buttock or leg (rarely in both legs)

• Pain that is worse when sitting

• Leg pain that is often described as burning, tingling, or searing (versus a dull ache)

• Weakness, numbness, or difficulty moving the leg, foot, and/or toes

• A sharp pain that may make it difficult to stand up or walk

• Pain that radiates down the leg and possibly into the foot and toes (it rarely occurs only in the foot)

 

Sciatica is caused by irritation of the root(s) of the lower lumbar and lumbosacral spine. Additional causes of sciatica include:

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• Lumbar spinal stenosis (narrowing of the spinal canal in the lower back)

• Degenerative disc disease (breakdown of discs, which act as cushions between the vertebrae)

• Spondylolisthesis (a condition in which one vertebra slips forward over another one)

• Pregnancy 

• Muscle spasm in the back or buttocks

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