Sciatica is a common type of pain affecting the sciatic nerve, a large nerve extending from the lower back down the back of each leg.

What Are the Symptoms of Sciatica?

• Lower back pain
• Pain in the rear or leg that is worse when sitting
• Hip pain
• Burning or tingling down the leg
• Weakness, numbness, or difficulty moving the leg or foot
• A constant pain on one side of the rear
• A shooting pain that makes it difficult to stand up

Sciatica usually affects only one side of the lower body.

Often, the pain extends from the lower back all the way through the back of the thigh and down through the leg.

Depending on where the sciatic nerve is affected, the pain may also extend to the foot or toes.

For some people, the pain from sciatica can be severe and debilitating. For others, the sciatica pain might be infrequent and irritating, but has the potential to get worse.

What Causes Sciatica?

Sciatica is caused by irritation of the root(s) of the lower lumbar and lumbosacral spine.

Additional common causes of sciatica include:

• Spinal Stenosis(narrowing of the spinal canal in the lower back)
• Degenerative disc disease(breakdown of discs, which act as cushions between the vertebrae)
• Spondylo listhesis (a condition in which one vertebra slips forward over another one)
• Pregnancy
• Muscle spasm in the back or buttocks

Other things that may make your back pain worse include being overweight, not exercising regularly, wearing high heels, or sleeping on a mattress that is too soft.

Prevention of sciatica

There are several lifestyle changes that can reduce the chances of developing it, including regular exercise and making sure proper posture is used when standing, sitting upright, and lifting objects.