Angisan,
you can sciatica pain in different places
in your leg...
sciatica
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what is sciatica?
Sciatica is a pain that runs along the
sciatic nerve, a large nerve extending
from the lower back and down the back of
each leg. Sciatica is a common kind of
back pain. Although sciatica can be very
painful, it is rare for the disorder to
cause permanent nerve damage. Most
sciatica pain syndromes result from
inflammation and will usually get better
within a few weeks.
What are the symptoms of sciatica?
• pain in the rear or leg that is worse
when sitting
• burning or tingling down the leg
• weakness, numbness or difficulty
moving the leg or foot
• a constant pain on one side of the
rear
• a shooting pain that makes it
difficult to stand up
sciatica usually affects only one side of
the lower body. Often, the pain extends
from the lower back all the way through
the back of the thigh and down through the
leg. Depending on where the sciatic nerve
is affected, the pain may also extend to
the foot or toes. For some people, the
pain from sciatica can be severe and
debilitating. For others, the pain from
sciatica might be infrequent and
irritating, but has the potential to get
worse.
What causes sciatica?
Any condition that causes irritation to
the sciatic nerve can cause the pain
associated with sciatica. In many cases,
sciatica is caused by pressure on the
sciatic nerve from a herniated disc (also
called a slipped disc or ruptured disc).
Additional common causes of sciatica
include:
• lumbar spinal stenosis (narrowing of
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
other things that may make your back pain
worse include being overweight, not
exercising regularly, wearing high heels,
or sleeping on a mattress that is too
soft.
How is sciatica diagnosed?
In diagnosing sciatica, a doctor will take
your medical history and perform an
examination of the back, hips, and legs in
order to test for strength, flexibility,
sensation, and reflexes. Other tests may
include:
• x-rays
• mri scans
• ct scans
• nerve conduction studies –in these
tests, an electrical current is passed
through a nerve to determine the health or
disease of that nerve.
How is sciatica treated?
Treatment for sciatica focuses on
relieving pressure and inflammation.
Typical sciatica treatments include:
• medical treatments for sciatica (such
as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
(nsaids) like ibuprofen, oral steroids, or
epidural steroid injections) help to
relieve inflammation.
• epidural steroid injections where
steroids, with their strong
anti-inflammatory effects, are delivered
at the origin of the inflamed sciatic
nerve roots.
• physical therapy usually starts after
adequate pain control and has an essential
role both for the acute episode as well as
long term avoidance of further episodes.
• surgery for sciatica may be warranted
if the sciatic nerve pain is severe and
has not been relieved with appropriate
manual or medical treatments, patients
should seek immediate medical attention
with any symptoms of progressive lower
extremity weakness, loss of bladder or
bowel control.
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this information is provided by the
cleveland clinic and is not intended to
replace the medical advice of your doctor
or health care provider. Please consult
your health care provider for advice about
a specific medical condition.
