🧠 Symptoms of Sciatica
Sciatica
Sciatica happens when the sciatic nerve (running from your lower back down each leg) gets irritated or compressed. The symptoms usually affect one side of the body.
⚡ Common symptoms
1. Pain from lower back to leg
- Starts in the lower back or buttock
- Travels down the back of the thigh and sometimes into the calf or foot
- Can feel sharp, burning, or like an electric shock
2. Leg pain worse than back pain
- The leg discomfort is often stronger than the back pain
- Sitting, coughing, or sneezing may make it worse
3. Numbness or tingling
- “Pins and needles” feeling in the leg or foot
- May affect specific areas depending on the nerve involved
4. Muscle weakness
- Difficulty lifting the foot (foot drop in severe cases)
- Weakness in the leg or ankle
5. Pain when sitting or standing long
- Sitting for long periods can increase pain
- Standing up suddenly may trigger sharp pain
🚨 Serious warning signs (seek urgent care)
- Loss of bladder or bowel control
- Severe weakness in the leg
- Numbness in the inner thighs or groin area
These could indicate a rare but serious condition requiring immediate attention.
🧭 What causes it?
Common causes include:
- slipped/herniated disc
- spinal stenosis
- muscle tightness (like piriformis syndrome)
✔️ Bottom line
Sciatica typically causes radiating leg pain, tingling, or weakness on one side, often starting from the lower back.
If you want, I can show you:
- simple home exercises that relieve sciatica fast
- or how to tell if your pain is sciatica vs muscle strain
