Sciatica Leg Pain: The ‘Why,’ Symptoms, and Cure

A pinched sciatic nerve can wreak havoc on your life as it causes debilitating sciatica leg pain. From the lower back, the sciatic nerve travels down the backside of each leg, making it one of the longest nerves in your body. The cause of sciatica pain can range from herniated disks, to spinal stenosis, to piriformis syndrome.

Symptoms of sciatica amount to anything from low-level tingling and burning to excruciating pain that radiates from the lower spine down the backside of one of your legs. You may feel sharp pain or burning sensations. Additionally, that leg may suffer from numbness, weakness, or a pins-and-needles type of sensation.

Sciatica can cause a variety of symptoms depending on the individual. Also, depending on the severity of the pain, some victims may transition to standing or walking without any difficulty. In fact, standing usually helps because it stretches out your spinal disks, relieving pressure from your sciatic nerve.

If you have sciatica, you should consult a pain management specialist. An expert will assist in diagnosing and building you an appropriate treatment plan. In addition to physical therapy and medication, sciatica can also be treated with proper rest, core-muscle exercises, surgery, or a proactive non-invasive treatment.

Basics of Sciatica Leg Pain

Sciatica leg pain can be mild or severe, and symptoms can come and go — or stay constant. Sitting, standing, or walking may make the pain worse depending on the individual. Additionally, coughing, sneezing, and straining may worsen things.

There’s a good chance sciatica — and the pain it induces — will improve over time. However, many factors can contribute to long-term, chronic pain. There are several reasons for sciatica, including a possible severe underlying condition. But it’s more likely you have a herniated disk.

The Sciatic Nerve and Sciatica Leg Pain

In your body, the sciatic nerve is the longest and largest nerve. Both legs have this muscle running down the backside, making sciatica leg pain one of the most age-prone pain management issues for young, middle-age, and older adults.

In addition to a sharp sensation to the sole of your foot and outer and back portions of your lower leg, sciatica also impacts the back of your thigh. Your lower leg and knee muscles are usually affected as well.

Two main functions are performed by the sciatic nerve. You can move your legs and feet with its complex motor function, and you can feel sensations within your legs with its sensory function. These are amazing tools within the lower extremities of your body.

The sciatic nerve controls a wide range of movements, including bending your knee, extending your knee, rotating your thigh, pointing your foot, and flexing your toes.

Managing Sciatica Leg Pain and Living Healthier

To manage sciatica leg pain, here’s some advice:

• You may be prescribed medication to help relieve your pain by a doctor.
• A physical therapist can help you improve your range of motion and strength, as well as manage your pain.
• Ensure that you stretch your back and legs.
• Boost your back and leg muscles by strengthening them.
• Avoid activities that aggravate your pain by resting.
• Several times a day, apply ice to the affected area for 20 minutes at a time.
• Heat the affected area for 20 minutes at a time, several times a day.
• Sciatica may require surgery in rare instances.

Here are some tips you can follow to help protect and reduce the risk of injury to your sciatic nerve:

• Take a few minutes to stretch your hamstrings. Regularly stretching your hamstrings can relieve pressure on your sciatic nerve.
• Posture is important. Good posture can reduce sciatic nerve strain.
• You should avoid sitting for long periods of time. Regularly getting up and moving around every 20 – 30 minutes can relieve pressure on the sciatic nerve, which can be caused by sitting for long periods of time.
• Make sure you are wearing comfortable shoes. It’s important to wear cozy, enjoyable shoes to prevent pressure on your sciatic nerve.
• Make sure you maintain a healthy weight. Maintaining the right weight is important to preventing increased pressure on the sciatic nerve.
• Maintain an active lifestyle. It’s possible to reduce the risk of injury to the sciatic nerve by strengthening the muscles that support it.

Wellness and Pain Can Help

A range of options are available at Wellness and Pain to treat your sciatica leg pain. We offer conservative treatments, routine visits, and minimally invasive quick-recovery procedures. We can keep you free of problems by providing lifestyle education and home care advice to help you avoid and manage issues, quickly relieving the conditions inhibiting your life by using cutting-edge sciatica techniques.

At Wellness and Pain, we personalize patient care plans based on each patient’s condition and unique circumstances to relieve pain, improve mobility and mental space, and improve your overall health.