Seven things that cause sciatic pain
The sciatic nerve is the main nerve in the leg and the largest in the body. It runs from the base of the spine, along the back of the thigh to the knee, where it divides into branches. Sciatic pain is usually caused by compression of this nerve root at the point where it leaves the spine. Damage to the nerve can also cause sciatic pain.
The top seven things that cause sciatic pain are listed and described below:
Lumbar spinal stenosis:
Spinal stenosis is the narrowing of nerve passages in the spine. It occurs when the bones, ligaments or discs of the spine squash the nerves of the spine (usually the sciatic nerve) causing pain
usually in the lower back and legs. It usually affects people in late middle age and older.
Trauma:
The sudden impulse or strain on your body by external sources can cause damage in your spine leading to compression in sciatic nerve yielding normal sciatic symptoms and cause sciatic pain. Incidents like accidents or falling down affect the spinal nerve roots in the lumbar spine region.
Piriformis syndrome:
Which causes the sciatic nerve to become trapped deep in the buttock by the piriformis muscle: The symptoms are the same as those of sciatica. This muscle can spasm and cause irritation to the sciatic nerve thus resulting in severe cause sciatic pain and contributing to causing of sciatica. Sometimes it is difficult to diagnose piriformis syndrome because of lack of findings in X-rays and MRIs.
Herniated disc:
A slipped (or herniated) disc is the most common identified cause of sciatica.Your spine is made up of vertebrae, discs and nerves. Vertebrae are the blocks of bone that make up the structure of your spine and protect the nerves. The vertebrae are supported and cushioned by discs. The discs are made from a tough, fibrous case thhat contains a softer gel-like substance. A slipped disc occurs when the outer part of the disc ruptures (splits), allowing the gel inside to bulge and protrude outwards between the vertebrae. When this presses against the sciatic nerve, it can cause sciatic pain. As a person gets older the discs start to become harder, tougher and more brittle. Repeated strain on the back means there is a greater chance of a hardened disc splitting and rupturing.
Spondylolisthesis:
Acondition in which one backbone has slipped forward over another backbone, resulting in pressure on the sciatic nerve.
Spinal tumors:
The spinal tumors are the result of abnormal growths and may be cancerous. But, spinal tumors are rare. When they develop in the lumbar region of the spine, they cause nerve compression and irritation leading to cause sciatic pain. This symptom can also cause numbness, muscle weakness and tingling.
Many women experience sciatica during pregnancy. You can treating sciatic pain with exercise. Exercises can help ease the pain. There are other options for sciatica treatment that can help you overcome the pain
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