Sciatic Pain

Sciatic Pain is often mis-diagnosed or confused for a really tight hamstring and sometimes piriformis syndrome. Sciatica is a condition that originates from one or both of these locations: The sciatic nerve itself or a bulging disc of the lumbar spine (low back) that is pressing on the nerve root where it exits the spine. When the nerve root is being pressed on by the disc the nerve will send pain signals down the leg through the muscles of the hamstring, gluteus maximus and piriformis and IT band.

If you have experienced direct trauma to the sciatic nerve leading the nerve to have to heal and scare over. The process of remodelling that scar will be painful and would be termed ‘sciatica’.

Sciatic pain becomes worse usually when the patient does activities to bulge the disc even more or for a prolonged period of time. Patients with an acute sciatica report they feel the pain go lower and lower down their leg the longer they sit.

Sciatic pain is described as a deep aching pain or a deep burning pain. Sometimes share when you make a wrong move and afterwards becomes a dull ache radiating down the path of the nerve. Sciatica nerve pain or sciatica can lead to numbness and tingling in the leg along the site of the nerve. A common neurological problem that can occur is a peroneal nerve parasthesia or paralysis call ‘Foot Drop’

It is highly recommended to seek treatment from a physiotherapist ASAP to avoid permanent nerve damage and potential cauda equina syndrome.