What Is Sciatica? Sciatic pain (sciatica) is a pain in the lower back, buttock, leg and/or foot, usually on one side at a time, caused by one of disorders affecting the sciatic nerve: Pinched nerve due to: Bulging or herniated disc Degeneration disc disease (DDD) Spinal stenosis (narrow spinal canal) Fracture of one or more of spinal vertebra or direct injury of the nerve Tumor of the spinal cord or spine Spondylolysthesis (slipping disc – from several reasons) Piriformis syndrome (pressure from piriformis muscle that extends from the sacrum to the outer hip bone) Spondylosis – degeneration due to wear and tear of spinal vertebra Spondylitis – inflammation of spine Osteoporosis Tuberculosis or osteomyelitis of spinal vertebra Peripheral neuropathy e.g. from diabetes or alcoholism Symptoms Sciatic pain characteristics: Sciatic pain usually starts in the lower back and radiates through the buttock, back thigh, calf and (not always) foot and toes, usually on one side only. Lower back pain may be present on the start and then vanish completely or it may appear later. Sometimes there is no back pain at all. Numbness, tingling or burning sensation may be present on the same or additional areas as the pain. Muscle weakness, having a “heavy leg”, “falling foot” … Continue reading Sciatic Nerve Pain – Causes and Symptoms