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Sciatica
Pain that radiates from your lower (lumbar) spine to your buttock and down
the back of your leg is the hallmark of sciatica. Occasionally, sciatic pain in
men is caused by sitting on a wallet.
The sciatic nerve is the longest nerve in your body. It runs from your
pelvis, through your hip area and buttocks and down each leg. The sciatic nerve
branches into smaller nerves as it travels down the legs providing feeling to
your thighs, legs, and feet as well as controlling many of the muscles in your
lower legs. The term sciatica refers to pain that radiates along the
path of this nerve.
What causes Sciatica?
Sciatica is actually a sign that you have an underlying problem putting
pressure on a nerve in your lower back. The most common cause of this nerve
compression is a bulging or herniated lumbar disc. Piriformis syndrome is
another common cause of sciatica. The piriformis is a muscle that lies directly
over the sciatic nerve. If this muscle becomes tight or if you have a spasm in
this muscle, it puts pressure directly on the sciatic nerve. Occasionally,
sciatic pain in men is caused by sitting on a wallet.
How do I know if I have sciatica?
Pain that radiates from your lower (lumbar) spine to your buttock and down
the back of your leg is the hallmark of sciatica. Sciatica may be accompanied by
numbness, tingling, and muscle weakness in the affected leg. This pain can vary
widely, from a mild ache to a sharp, burning sensation or excruciating
discomfort. Sometimes it may feel like a jolt or electric shock. Sciatic pain
often starts gradually and intensifies over time. It's likely to be worse when
you sit, cough or sneeze.
How is Sciatica Treated?
The vast majority of the time, sciatic pain can be relieved through a
combination of stretches, deep tissue massage of the piriformis muscle and
chiropractic care. Occasionally, in cases where chronic spasm of the low back or
piriformis muscles is causing the sciatic pain, it may be necessary to do a
procedure called a trigger point injection, where a medical pain specialist
injects a small amount of anesthetic directly into a spasmed muscle to break the
spasm cycle. However, this is typically not necessary.
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