In The longest nerve in the body is the sciatic nerve. It is formed by several nerves of the lumbar spine and sacrum. It travels from your pelvis to the buttocks where it divides into who smaller nerves, the tibial and peroneal nerves which travel down the legs.
Causes of Sciatica
When the sciatic nerve is compressed, irritation can lead to pain, numbness, tingling and muscle spasms. The sciatic nerve is most commonly compressed in the lumbar spine. The usual culprits are herniated or bulging discs and bone spurs resulting from degenerative disc disease or osteoarthritis. Another common cause of sciatica is piriformis syndrome. The piriformis is a triangular shaped muscle that is located deep in theregion of the buttock. The sciatic nerve travels directly beneath the piriformis. If the piriformis is in muscle spasm or tight, direct irritation of the sciatic nerve can occur. Sometimes, sciatic pain can be caused by sitting on a wallet.
Do I have sciatica?
The hallmark of sciatica is radiating pain traveling from your low back to your buttock and down the back of your leg. Muscle weakness, numbness and tingling may all be present in the affected leg. The quality of the pain can be excruciating, burning or just a mild ache. Occasionally, the pain may feel like and electric shock or jolt. The onset of sciatic pain usually starts out gradually and over time it can intensify. Sitting, sneezing or coughing can make it worse.
Treatment of sciatica
Chiropractic care, stretching, soft tissue massage of the piriformis muscle usually provides relief of sciatic pain. In chronic cases, a trigger point injection by a pain management specialist may be necessary to reduce spasms
