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What is Sciatica?
|  | | Sciatica is a layman's term for a pinched nerve that can cause pain that runs from the buttocks down the back of the leg. | | | | The sciatic nerve is about an inch or so long in the buttocks made of multiple spinal nerves. When people commonly refer to sciatica it is not necessarily a problem of the sciatic nerve, it's a problem of the nerve when it is being pinched as it exits from the spine from a herniated disc or a bone spur. | | | Symptoms of Sciatica
| | Symptoms of sciatica include sensation changes, numbness, decreased sensation, tingling, burning and pain in the buttocks, down the back of the legs, the back of the calf or the sole of the foot. Sciatica can also cause weakness in the legs, knees and feet and in severe cases can cause loss of mobility. | | |
| Causes of Sciatica
| | Sciatica is a form of peripheral neuropathy. It occurs when there is damage to the sciatic nerve located in the back of the leg. This nerve controls the muscles of the back of the knee and lower leg and provides sensation to the back of the thigh, part of the lower leg and the sole of the foot. | | | | Sciatica is primarily caused by pressure on a nerve from a herniated disc or bone spur (also referred to as a ruptured disc, bulging disc, slipped disk, etc.). A herniated lumbar disc in the spine may cause symptoms that simulate the symptoms of sciatic nerve dysfunction. | | | | The problem is often diagnosed as "radiculopathy", meaning that a disc has protruded from its normal position in the vertebral column of the spine and is putting pressure on the radicular nerve (nerve root), which connects with the sciatic nerve, therefore termed sciatica. | | | | Other causes are direct trauma, prolonged external pressure on the nerve, and pressure on the nerve from nearby body structures. It can also be caused by entrapment -- pressure on the nerve where it passes through a narrow structure. The damage slows or prevents conduction of impulses through the nerve. | | | | The sciatic nerve can also be injured by fractures of the pelvis or other trauma to the buttocks or thigh. Prolonged sitting or lying with pressure on the buttocks may also injure it. Systemic diseases, such as diabetes, can typically damage many different nerves, including the sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve may also be harmed by pressure from masses such as a tumor or abcess, or by bleeding in the pelvis. | | |
| | | | Dr Jarmain's Clinic treats pain caused by Sciatica through a non-invasive, non-surgical procedure called Spinal Decompression. | | | | If you still have unanswered questions, feel free to visit our FAQ page where we answer some of the most frequently asked questions received from previous visitors. Also, feel free to contact us. | | |
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