You must have experienced back pain at a certain point in life. Typically, that shooting pain runs from your buttocks or lower back into your leg. Although you might ignore that recurring sharp pain, it may be sciatica, a sign that the largest nerve in your body is irritated or compressed. The debilitating pain caused by sciatica can make getting through your day difficult as it affects your overall body functionality. However, sciatica is not a lifetime problem and can be treated with Roswell sciatica treatments. It can also be challenging to deal with the pain, especially when you aren’t aware of what is causing it.
Understanding sciatica
The sciatic nerve is the principal nerve in your body that originates in the lower back through your buttocks into your legs. Technically, when you experience sciatica, it is when the sciatic nerve is irritated or compressed. Most of the time, the underlying cause of this condition is a nerve pinched by a herniated disc. Moreover, other possible causes of sciatica include arthritis, pregnancy, being overweight, swollen muscles, bone spurs, and other joint troubles. Here are five common signs of sciatica that will pave the way for treatment if you realize any of them.
1. Experiencing a sharp or stabbing pain in your legs
The first sign that you might have sciatica is acute pain that runs in your back into the legs. The pain sometimes feels like an electric shock repeatedly shooting down your leg. Although the intense pain may be intermittent, it’s possible to feel a constant deep ache or soreness in the affected limb.
2. Any sign of muscle weakness
If one of your legs is affected by sciatica, it will ultimately be weaker than the other. When the sciatic nerve is damaged, it tends to weaken your muscles because it hurts any time you make a move. Severally, this weakness affects your gait and can refer the pain to nearby body parts. Sciatica is the culprit if you realize any muscle weakness in your limbs.
3. Numbness and tingling in your back, buttocks, or legs
One of the critical indicators your sciatic nerve is damaged is numbness in the affected area. When the sciatic nerve is irritated or compressed, you may feel some irregular symptoms running down your lower back to the limbs. While you might ignore numbness and tingling, it can be challenging in your everyday activities.
4. Loss of balance and mobility
Don’t take lightly the debilitating pain associated with sciatica, as it affects your body’s movement and creates issues with balance. Similarly, if the nerve compression extends, you may find it difficult to walk or stand. Due to sciatica’s effects on your leg muscles, you will likely fall or lose your balance.
5. Worsening symptoms while sitting
Generally, most sciatica symptoms disappear on their own with time. Nevertheless, if your sciatic nerve is severely damaged, your symptoms may deteriorate when you rest your body. If you experience trouble while bending or sitting, sciatic compression or irritation might be the cause.
Considering the dangers posed by sciatica, you have every reason to seek medical help to stabilize your condition. Before the commencement of any treatment, it is essential to have a proper prior diagnosis.
At Polaris Spine & Neurosurgery, a dedicated team of neurosurgeons will attend to all your sciatica needs and offer a range of treatments varying from conservative to surgical. To eradicate that debilitating sciatica pain affecting your productivity, schedule your appointment with us today!
