Sciatica Symptoms
The most common symptom from sciatica is pain. Most people describe a deep, severe pain that starts low on one side of the back and then shoots down the buttock and the leg with certain movements.
The pain is usually worse with both prolonged sitting and standing. Some people describe the worst pain when trying to stand from a low sitting position, such as standing up after sitting on a toilet seat.
In most people, the pain is made worse by sneezing, coughing, laughing, or a hard bowel movement. Bending backward can also make the pain worse.
You may also notice a weakness in your leg or foot, along with the pain. The weakness may become so bad you can't move your foot.
Sciatica causes pain, burning sensation, numbness, or tingling radiating from the lower back and upper buttock down the back of the thigh to the back of the leg. Severe sciatica can make walking difficult if not impossible. Sometimes the symptoms of sciatica are aggravated by walking or bending at the waist and relieved by lying down.
What is sciatica?
Sciatica is pain resulting from irritation of the sciatic nerve. Sciatica pain is typically felt from the low back to behind the thigh and radiating down below the knee. The sciatic nerve is the largest nerve in the body and begins from nerve roots in the lumbar spinal cord in the low back and extends through the buttock area to send nerve endings down the lower limb.
What are causes of sciatica?
While sciatica is most commonly a result of a disc herniation directly pressing on the nerve, any cause of irritation or inflammation of this nerve can reproduce the symptoms of sciatica. These causes include irritation of the nerve from adjacent bone, tumors, muscle, internal bleeding, infections, injury, and other causes.
How is sciatica diagnosed?
Sciatica is diagnosed with a physical exam and medical history. The typical symptoms and certain examination maneuvers help the health-care practitioner to diagnose sciatica. Sometimes, x-rays, films, and other tests, such as CAT scan or MRI scan and electromyogram, are used to further define causes of sciatica.
