Sciatica is a condition of the lower back. It is characterized by pain that radiates down the leg or buttock, often only on one side of the body. The pain can range from tingling, burning pain to sharp, shooting pain that makes standing up extremely uncomfortable. Coughing, sneezing, and sitting make the pain worse. The sciatic nerves are the largest in the body. There is one on each side of the lower body, and they are the longest in the nervous system, extending from the buttocks to the foot. Sciatic pain can occur along the entire length of the nerve.
There is no known, definitive cause of sciatica. In some cases, the sciatic nerve gets pinched between the vertebrae, or the nerve’s passageways are narrowed by arthritis or swelling of a strained ligament. If this pinching occurs, lower back pain results in the sciatic nerve. Sometimes a movement such as bending over can bring on excruciating pain.
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