Concerned you have sciatica symptoms? Wondering how to relieve sciatica pain? We answer all your questions about this often confusing and frustrating condition in this explainer.
What Is Sciatica?
Sciatica is a type of nerve pain. The hallmark of sciatica is lower back pain that radiates down one both legs.
The pain stems from the sciatic nerve. This actually refers to a bundle of nerves. Pain from sciatica comes from an injury or irritation to the nerves. Or from pinching or compression.
Most often, sciatica shows up as burning or shooting pain. But you also may notice tingling or numbness. Those symptoms result from interrupted signals to the brain.
The sciatic nerve is the largest nerve in the body. About the size of a U.S. penny, it branches off from the spinal cord and runs across each hip, connecting with other nerves just below the knee.
Sciatica Won't Go Away?
If your sciatica keeps giving you bothersome symptoms, the spine experts at UVA Health can help. We offer the full range of treatments.
Sciatica Causes
What causes sciatica? Usually other common causes of lower back pain, like a herniated or degenerative disc. But it’s also brought on by things like pregnancy and tumors.
And there are other risk factors that can make you more likely to develop sciatica. These include obesity, diabetes, or a job that requires heavy lifting.
How to Get Rid of Sciatica
Good news: There are several types of treatment options for sciatica pain. For mild cases of sciatica, you may even be able to reverse symptoms on your own with at-home treatments.
Self-treatments for sciatica can look like:
- Alternating between ice packs (or a bag of frozen vegetables) and a heating pad or warm compress
- Taking over-the-counter medicines
- Stretching
There are other treatments, too, that are mostly conservative. Some of these include physical therapy and steroid injections. Your doctor can decide which might be most helpful for you depending on your symptoms.
Still, if your symptoms are severe and affect your daily life, you may need surgery. Again, your doctor can help determine if your symptoms show signs of nerve damage.
