Sciatica

The term sciatica describes the symptoms of leg pain and possibly tingling, numbness or weakness that originates in the lower back and travels through the buttock and down the large sciatic nerve in the back of the leg. Sciatica is not a medical diagnosis in and of itself – it is a symptom of an underlying medical condition.

SYMPTOMS

– Constant pain in only one side of the buttock or leg (rarely can occur in both legs)
– Pain that is worse when sitting
– Burning or tingling down the leg (vs. a dull ache)
– Weakness, numbness or difficulty moving the leg or foot
– A sharp pain that may make it difficult to stand up or to walk

Sciatic pain can vary from infrequent and irritating to constant and incapacitating. Specific sciatica symptoms also vary widely in type, location and severity, depending upon the condition causing the sciatica (such as a lumbar herniated disc). While symptoms can be very painful, it is rare that permanent sciatic nerve damage (tissue damage) will result.

ANATOMY

The sciatic nerve is the largest single nerve in the body and is composed of individual nerve roots that start by branching out from the spine in the lower back and combine to form the “sciatic nerve.” Sciatica symptoms occur when that nerve is irritated.

– The sciatic nerve starts in the lower back at lumbar segment 3 (L3).
– At each level of the lower spine a nerve root exits from the inside of the spine and then comes together to make up the large sciatic nerve.
– The sciatic nerve runs from the lower back, down the back of each leg
– Portions of the sciatic nerve then branch out in each leg to innervate certain parts of the leg – e.g. the buttock, thigh, calf, foot, toes.

The sciatica symptoms (e.g., leg pain, numbness, tingling, weakness, possibly symptoms that radiate into the foot) are different depending on where the nerve is pinched. For example, a lumbar segment 5 (L5) nerve impingement can cause weakness in extension of the big toe and potentially in the ankle.