Sciatica Leg Nerve Pain and How to Treat it

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Sciatica is a very common and painful condition where a pinched leg nerve to the leg causes pain, numbness and weakness in the leg affected. This condition is a result of problems in the lower back that can cause nerves to be pinched or irritated. There are several causes for Sciatica but all of them are usually related to the compression of the sciatic leg nerve where it originates in the lower back. Sciatic can cause severe unremitting pain numbness and weakness that can severely affect a person ability to walk and perform basic tasks.

The most common cause of sciatica is a herniated disc in the lower back.  When one of the discs that cushions the vertebrae and provides room for nerves to exit the spine bulges the disc material can press against the nerve where it exits the spine. Not only can the disc compress the sciatic nerve but often the disc can leak and cause irritation and inflammation to the leg nerve . Degenerative disc disease and ruptured discs are other disc problems that cause a pinched leg nerve.

Spondylolisthesis is a condition where one of the vertebrae slips forward, this causes the sciatic leg nerve to be become compressed. Spondylolisthesis is a condition that is usually found at birth or sometimes occurs in childhood as result of an injury or stress to the spine.

Spinal stenosis is a condition where the openings the nerves exit from on your spine become blocked or narrowed for a variety of reasons; this compresses the leg nerve and causes the symptoms. Piriformis syndrome is where a muscle in your lower spine called the piriformis muscle can spasm and irritates the sciatic nerve.

Injury and over use is a very common cause of sciatica, anything that strains the spine or any sort of forceful impact can cause damage to the spine and discs between the vertebrae. Such damage is a very common cause of a pinched leg nerve.

Sciatica is normally treated first with anti-inflammatory medications and muscle relaxers, sometimes doctors will deliver a shot of cortisone to the area or in some cases orthopedic doctors will do a new procedure that delivers cortisone to the lining of the spinal cord that will reduce inflammation in the nerve itself.  Chiropractors are very effective for some sciatica as they realign vertebrae than may have become misaligned because of over use or injury.

In severe cases where damage to the spine is extensive, or the damage does not respond to treatments surgery may be the only option. Sciatica can be so severe that it can seriously interrupt the quality of life for many people and surgery may become the only way to regain a portion of their mobility.