Sciatica is a painful condition where the sufferer experiences excruciating pain in one or more of the following areas: • • • • •
lower back buttocks legs feet hips
The primary cause of sciatic nerve pain is excessive pressure and inflammation of the nerve roots that make up the entire sciatic nerve. While pain is the most common symptom, those suffering from sciatica may also experience numbness and a lack of strength in the lower body from the hips down to the feet. In the vast majority of cases, only one side of the body is affected by sciatica.
Although it is believed that the sacral nerves may play a role in the development of sciatica, pressure on the lumbar nerves is seen as the main culprit. Any pressure on the lumbar nerves is eventually read by