Sciatica Symptoms
Sciatica pain is not a spinal medical condition in itself but a sciatica symptom of a spinal disorder or a disease. Sciatica pain occurs when there is damage or pressure on the sciatica nerve.
The sciatica nerve is the longest nerve in the human body and it typically starts from the lumbar spine and then runs all the way down the back of each leg. Sciatica nerve is responsible for controlling the muscles of back of the knee as well as the lower leg.
The common causes of sciatica nerve pain may be lumbar spinal stenosis, lumbar herniated or slipped disc, piriformis syndrome, pelvic injury or fracture or isthmic spondylolisthesis. Sciatica pain can also lead to weakness, tingling as well as numbness in the leg.
Common Sciatica Symptoms
Sciatica symptoms vary from patient to patient and usually depend upon the medical condition that the patient is suffering from. For example – one patient may suffer from infrequent bouts of irritation and pain that are not severe bit have the potential of getting worse while the other patient may suffer from severe and debilitating sciatica pain from the very beginning.
Common Sciatica Symptoms Include:
- Pain that radiates from the lumbar region of the spinal cord all the way through the buttocks and then down through the leg
- Pain that gets worse when sitting
Pain that is steady at only one side of the buttock - Pain that is best described as searing or sharp rather than dull
- Numbness and weakness down the leg
- Prickling sensation or ‘pins and needles sensation’ down the leg
Visiting a Doctor about Sciatica Pain
Although mild sciatica pain gets better on its own in six to twelve weeks but in severe cases consulting a doctor becomes important so that the right treatment option can be taken up. Diagnosing sciatica and its root cause is important as sciatica is a symptom of another medical condition. The right diagnosis leads to the selection of the right treatment options.
