What is sciatica?
Sciatica is a common condition that causes discomfort along the path of the sciatic nerve, which runs from your lower back through your hips, buttocks and down each leg. This pain may come with numbness, tingling or muscle weakness. It usually happens when the nerves that form the sciatic nerve become irritated or experience pressure, often from a herniated disc, spinal stenosis or another spine-related issue.
The sciatic nerve is the longest and thickest nerve in your body—about 2 centimeters wide, roughly the size of a penny. Despite being called a single nerve, it's actually made up of a group of nerves that branch from five nerve roots in your lower spine.
You have two sciatic nerves, one on each side. Each one travels through your hip and buttock, down the back of your leg and ends just below your knee. From there, it branches into smaller nerves that reach your lower leg, foot and toes.
Sciatica symptoms
Sciatica can cause discomfort anywhere along the path of the sciatic nerve. Sometimes, doctors may refer to this as radiculopathy. Pain usually happens on just one side of the body but can be bilateral. It might start in your lower back and travel down through your buttocks and the back of your leg.
Pain from sciatica can feel sharp, burning or achy, or can feel like a shooting pain. The discomfort might get worse when walking or running, straightening your leg or making sudden movements like sneezing or coughing.
Other symptoms of sciatica include:
- Numbness down your leg
- Tingling or a feeling of pins and needles in the back of your leg
- Weakness or heaviness in your leg or foot
- Bowel or bladder function problems
When to see a doctor
Mild sciatica often improves with self-care, but you should see a doctor if your pain lasts longer than a week, gets worse over time or makes it hard to go about your daily activities. Seek medical attention right away if you have sudden severe pain in your lower back or leg, numbness or muscle weakness, or trouble controlling your bladder or bowels. These could be signs of a more serious condition that needs immediate treatment. Pain associated with a fever can be particularly worrisome.
What causes sciatica?
Doctors can’t always identify the cause of sciatica, but it typically is caused by compression of the sciatic nerve root. Stretching of the nerve and a viral infection of the nerve can cause the symptoms as well.
Compression can happen for many reasons. For people under 40, the most common reason is a herniated disc. For older adults, arthritis and bone spurs often lead to sciatica. Other causes include:
- Spinal stenosis (narrowing of the spinal canal)
- Injuries that put pressure on the nerves
- Pregnancy, which stresses the lower back
Find specialized sciatica care near you
At Baylor Scott & White, we offer several locations for specialized care and treatment of sciatica, including neurology centers across North and Central Texas. Our experienced team is ready to provide personalized care to help improve your quality of life. Whether you're seeking diagnosis, treatment or require ongoing support, we're by your side.
