For those people who have heard the word before but did not know what Sciatica is, it is a pain with a tingling or a numbness that is produced by an irritation of the sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve is created by the nerve roots that are protruding out of the spinal cord and into the lower back. The sciatic nerve spreads out and they extend through the buttocks and down the back to the right and left leg and then they extend to the ankle and then down to the foot. When this happens the pain is unbearable. Some times if the pain is severe enough it can limit your mobility.

The causes of sciatica are when the sciatic nerve is protruding or when a disc in your back has ruptured and is pressing against the spine. But the sciatica can be a symptom as well as a cause; it can be a symptom of another condition that affects the spine. The spine may become narrow in the spinal canal this condition is called spinal stenosis, it can also cause bone spurs which is a small bony growths that appear in the joints, this is sometimes caused by arthritis.  You may experience nerve root or a pinched nerve that is usually caused by injury. But in very rare cases the sciatic nerve can be cause by some conditions that have nothing to do with the spine such as a tumor or a pregnancy.

Sciatica is very common in pregnancy. You will feel like one side is cramping and it can be very easily mistaken by a pregnant woman as being something wrong with baby, but if the pain goes down into the leg then that is a sign of not to worry it is sciatica and the pain will alleviate itself. There is nothing to worry about. You may feel it while pregnant and then never feel it again.

Sciatica is a condition that can be treated, it is not a chronic condition and you can have it once and never have it again. It is like a pinched nerve it will work itself out on it’s own, though massage has been known to work to ease the discomfort and to ease the pain. But the doctor may give you Tylenol and instructions of what to do. Don’t worry it will get better, it is not permanent.

For additional information and resources on Chronic Pain, visit PainsWeb.com. The author Sam Carson is a chronic pain patient and publisher of PainsWeb.com. His website specializes in conveying targeted information about all types of Chronic Pain and helps you find associated information, patient resources and forums etc to manage your pain. Authors can submit quality original articles to PainsWeb.com and get a back link to their site.