Back Pain And Sciatica
Causes, Symptoms And Treatment For Sciatica
By Jarrett Kruse
Sciatica generally refers to an inflammation of the sciatic nerve, which runs from the spinal cord to the hip and buttock and down the leg. It’s frequently accompanied by lower back pain, and is a symptom rather than a disease in itself. There are ways to minimize sciatica back pain while identifying or treating underlying causes. Severe back pain can be caused by disc disease, muscle spasm, trauma, spinal degeneration or any of a number of internal diseases that may cause back pain and the proper diagnosis is crucial. Effective sciatica treatment, such as medication or physical therapy, may be only one step on the road to long-term back pain reduction. Any number of factors, including back pain severity or the presence of neurological symptoms can signal a greater need for medical attention.
Sciatica is relatively easy to recognize—pain in the lower back that moves down the back of the leg and/or into the foot. Other symptoms may include:
- Tingling or prickly feeling—frequently in the foot.
- Numbness or muscle weakness
- A loss of bladder or bowel control. This is usually a symptom of a much more serious condition and requires immediate medical attention.
Common causes of sciatica include:
- Lumbar spinal stenosis: a narrowing of the spinal canal that puts pressure on the nerves
- Spondylolisthesis: a “slippage” of a vertebra out of alignment
- A tumor on the spine or on the sciatic nerve
- Trauma, including injury to the nerve or lower spine
- Piriformis syndrome: a tightening or inflammation of the piriformis, the muscle that runs above the sciatic nerve, connecting the lower back to the thigh. With this condition pain usually stops at the knee.
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