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Sciatica is one of the Causes of Back Pain that refers to pain in the hip and buttocks and goes down the legs. The condition of sciatica is often accompanied by severe low back pain that can also lead to less or more severe leg pain. Sciatica is the term that indicates that the sciatica nerve (traveling from the lower back via the buttocks and then into the leg) gets swollen and causes pain.

The condition of true sciatica takes place when a herniated lumbar disc gets compressed to one of the contributing roots belonging to the sciatica nerve. The sciatica related back pain is not so common as compared to other conditions and causes that lead to back pain. For example, recreational activities, sporting activities, and heavy laboring works that can be the causes of leg and back pain, is often misdiagnosed as sciatica. Its a great challenge for the physician to diagnose and distinguish between sciatica and radicular pain (pain caused by an inflammatory nerve root, results to strain or musculoskeletal sprain).

The Symptoms of Sciatica

The commonest symptom of true sciatica is pain in lower leg, posterior thigh or foot that becomes much worse than the pain in the lower back. A patient suffering from sciatica back pain usually experience moderate or severe pain that starts from the buttocks and runs down via the foot or leg. It should be noted that in case of true sciatica, the pain radiates beyond the knee. The patient will often have a previous history of lower back pain that started a few weeks or days before the occurrence of the severe pain in the leg. The leg pain then worsens with time and becomes more severe than the back pain and in many cases the back pain disappears completely and leaving severe leg pain only.

In cases of longstanding sciatica history, the pain may gradually become limited or localized to the back of the leg and buttocks. Under this condition, the patient can have a vague aching pain. Frequently, there is not a specific traumatic event or motion that is connected with the attack of sciatica. Occasional paresthesias, diminished bladder or bowel function, and weakness are the symptoms that accompany sciatica, although these symptoms are rare.

Diagnosis and Treatment of Sciatica

A thorough study of medical history and physical examination is an important part included in the diagnostic process of sciatica. Nerve root tension tests can be conducted for confirming the presence of sciatica by attempting to reproduce the discomfort present in certain body positions and motions. A doctor performs these tests and involves the moving of legs in certain motions and ways that helps in slightly stretching the sciatica nerve. If pain is experienced during these tests, the diagnosed source is an irritated sciatica nerve.

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