Nowadays, many people complain of back and lower back pain, especially people after 40 years of age. Sometimes this pain is the result of an imbalance in our lifestyle, sitting in wrong postures, and sometimes due to some deficiency in bones or nerves of our body. Referring to pain, you must have also often heard about the word ‘Sciatica’. Sciatica is also another reason for back pain, which occurs as a result of problems in the sciatic nerve of our body. To understand more about it, its symptoms, and its causes, the ETV Bharat Sukhibhava team spoke to Dr. Hem Joshi, an expert Orthopaedic, and here is what he explains.
Understanding Sciatica
Dr. Joshi says that sciatica is a pain in the veins that begins from the lower part of the waist to the bottom of the legs. Sciatic is the name of a nerve that starts from the spinal cord and moves downward in both legs, running through the hips and buttocks. When a problem arises in this nerve or if due to some reason this vein starts pressing, sciatica pain can be felt. As the problem progresses, along with the pain, numbness in the feet too can be often experienced. Dr. Joshi explains that if the problem worsens, conditions like foot drop or paralysis too can arise.
Symptoms Of Sciatica
Dr. Joshi says that if you experience back pain or pain in one leg going down to the foot, then immediately seek medical advice as it can be sciatica pain instead of simple back pain. Apart from this, there are few other symptoms which if noticed, a person must contact a doctor as soon as possible. These symptoms are:
- There is an intense pain from waist to feet, which becomes unbearable when you move or shake
- Feeling all the pain on one side/point while sitting
- Experiencing more pain in one leg or feeling a stretch in the veins going down till the calf, when you stand and start walking shortly after lying down or sitting.
- After sitting for a long time in one position, numbness of one leg and feeling like a needle is pricking in the foot.
- Lack of control over routine activities like stool urine.
Reasons For Sciatica
Having a problem with the sciatic nerve is not the only cause of sciatica pain. Sciatic pain can also occur due to various problems related to the spinal cord or other nerves in our body. Some of which are as follows:
- Herniated discs
Also known as Slip Disc, in this condition the pain is felt in the lower back region, from legs to feet. It is the commonest cause of sciatica. - Spinal stenosis
Due to contraction in the lower part of the spinal cord, there is pressure in the sciatic and other nerves surrounding the area. - Spondylolisthesis
Spondylolisthesis is one of the conditions related to degenerative disc disorder. - Piriformis syndrome
Piriformis syndrome is a rare neuromuscular disorder in which your piriformis muscles involuntarily contract or tighten due to sciatica. Your piriformis muscle is the muscle that connects the lower part of your spine to the thighs. When it tightens, it puts pressure on your sciatic nerve, causing sciatica.
Apart from this, many times this problem can also occur if there is an accidental injection of a strong chemical or some type of tumor pressing the sciatic vein.
