Sky At Eh Ka A Definition

 
      Imagine. You've come back home after a long day at your office job. You just got off your shift driving a bus or cab for several hours.  You've had an exhausting day lifting heavy loads.

Sharp.  

Burning.  

Radiating.  

Constant pain starts gradually around your lower back and then travels down to your buttocks, thighs, and leg.  Sciatica can happen to a number of people who are otherwise healthy but is most common in their 50's.  The name comes from the nerve which it affects - the sciatic nerve.

The sciatic nerve originates low in the spinal column and extends down each leg.

Nerves are bundles of neurons (special cells in the body for relaying messages) that connect the brain and spine to everything and anything in the body.  In this case we're talking about the long, large nerve that's responsible for relaying information from the lower back down the back of your legs to the tips of your toes.  There's a matching pair in your body, one going down each leg from the spine.  As it travels down the back of your leg it branches off into individual nerves to cover the thigh, calf, foot, and toes.  

When this nerve gets irritated or inflamed, it creates pain.  Sciatica itself is not a disease but a distinctive symptom that is the result of several medical conditions.  Most often it is due to a structural change in the spine or when a muscle deep in the buttocks called the piriformis squeezes down on the nerve.  It may start out as a mild ache and build up to a sharp, burning pain over time.

It can be aggravated by long periods of sitting or standing, physical activity, and/or coughing and sneezing.  In its early stages it can be managed conservatively with simple exercises by a chiropractor and heat/ice therapy.  If the pain worsens or becomes chronic more aggressive treatments such as pain killers and surgery may be considered.

References

Diseases & Conditions: What is Sciatica? (2014, September 8). Retrieved April 5, 2015, from [link]
H. Hochshuler MD, S. (2012, February 12). What You Need to Know About Sciatica. Retrieved April 5, 2015, from  Sciatica. (2012, September 19). Retrieved April 5, 2015, from [link]
Sciatica: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia. (2014, September 8). Retrieved April 5, 2015, from [link]