Definition & Overview
Sciatica refers to pain that radiates along the path of the sciatic nerve, which branches from your lower back through your hips and buttocks and down each leg. Typically, sciatica affects only one side of your body.
Sciatica most commonly occurs when a herniated disk, bone spur on the spine or narrowing of the spine (spinal stenosis) compresses part of the nerve. This causes inflammation, pain, and often numbness in the affected leg.
[Image of sciatic nerve anatomy]
Symptoms & Characteristics
- Burning or Shooting Pain: Typically felt as a constant burning sensation or a shooting pain starting in the lower back/buttock and radiating down the leg.
- Numbness: Pain may be accompanied by numbness or tingling in the back of the leg.
- One-Sided: Typically affects only one leg.
- Postural Change: Patients often adopt a sideways body posture to relieve pressure.
Causes
Sciatica occurs when the sciatic nerve becomes pinched. Common causes include:
- Lumbar herniated disc
- Degenerative disc disease
- Lumbar spinal stenosis
- Spondylolisthesis
Treatment Options
Non-Surgical: Most cases of sciatica resolve with non-operative treatments such as:
- Rest and activity modification
- Anti-inflammatory medications
- Physical therapy and stretching
- Spinal injections (Steroids)
Surgical: If pain is severe, progressive, or fails to improve with conservative care, surgery (such as Microdiscectomy) may be recommended to relieve pressure on the nerve.
Exercise Program for Sciatica
- Lie on your back.
- Bring your knee toward your chest.
- Gently pull your leg in until you feel a comfortable stretch.
- Hold for 10 seconds, then release.
- Repeat with the other leg.
- Repeat 3 to 5 times per leg.
- Lie on your back with knees bent, feet shoulder-width apart.
- Push through heels to lift hips until body forms a straight line.
- Hold for a few seconds.
- Slowly lower hips to floor and repeat.
- Lie on your back with feet flat on the floor.
- Exhale and contract abs, pushing belly button toward floor to flatten back.
- Hold position for 5 seconds.
- Repeat 10 times.
