Sciatica

 

The longest nerve in the body and the main nerve traveling down the leg is the sciatic nerve. When pressure is placed on the sciatic nerve from a ruptured disc, pinched nerve, or slipped disk, the condition is referred to as Sciatica. Sciatica causes a pain along the large sciatic nerve – running from the lower back down the back of each leg. Often diagnosed as a radiculopathy – which means that a disc has protruded from its normal position in the vertebral column and is putting pressure on the radicular nerve (nerve root) connecting with the sciatic nerve – it is a fairly common cause of lower back and leg pain. Generally, sciatica only affects one side of the lower body – radiating from the lower back down through the thigh and lower leg, but can in some cases also affect the foot or toes. Since this type of nerve pain is generally caused by a combination of pressure and inflammation on the nerve root, treatment is centered on relieving both.