Before You Can Treat Sciatica: Know The Cause

A herniated disc manifests when the protective covering of an intervertebral disc is damaged.

Once the protective covering is gone, the jelly-like substance inside the disc will eventually be pressed out, which may put pressure on the sciatic nerve. A herniated disc in the lower region of the back, near the gluteus maximum muscles, will most likely cause pain problems and tingling in the lower extremities.

According to medical science, sudden twisting movements can increase the incidence of herniated discs.

This is the reason why you should check with your doctor before engaging in strength training or other forms of exercise, so your doctor can assess whether your body is capable of engaging in such activities and what type of conditioning or preparation is necessary to avoid injuring your spine.

Spinal stenosis occurs when the general structure of the spine narrows physically.

The narrowing then produces added pressure on surrounding nerve bundles and networks, which may then cause sciatic pain. Large nerve roots in the lumbar area and the sacral area (located below the lumbar area) may be affected by spinal stenosis.

Spondylothesis occurs when one or more vertebral discs shift forward or backward, causing a kink in the spinal column. The shifting of the bone may inadvertently compress the sciatic nerve. This nerve compression may produce the symptoms of sciatica.

This syndrome involves the piriformis muscle, a swath of muscle that connects the lower back with thigh muscles.

Persons with piriformis syndrome experience moderate to severe tightening of this specific muscle. When tightening occurs, the sciatic nerve may become compressed. Piriformis syndrome sufferers may also experience random spasms of the piriformis muscle, which would then lead to acute attacks of sciatic pain.

Individuals who have suffered from sports injuries and car accidents are at risk for piriformis syndrome, as well as people who sit for long periods of time throughout the day.

Accidental falls can also cause this syndrome. Seniors who have compromised mobility are at higher risk for falls, which also raises their risk for piriformis syndrome and sciatic pain. This is the reason why special care must be given to seniors who have trouble walking about, because falls can result in life-threatening fractures and nerve compression.

Tumors or malignant tissue growth can occur from within the spinal column. When tumors reach a particular density and mass, the physical weight of the tumor can press down on the sciatic nerve, causing sciatica. Additional pressure from tumor is also exerted on the spinal cord itself.

Physical trauma from sports or accidents can cause structural damage to the spinal cord and the sensitive spinal column. Damaged nerve bundles and nerve roots in the lumbar region and sacral area can result in sciatic pain.

Lifting heavy objects incorrectly and frequent bending can cause muscle strain in the back region, which in turn can pinch the sciatic nerve.

A crushed or broken vertebra can cause different symptoms, including sciatic pain. Damage to the discs of the spine can include: degenerated disc, bulging disc, herniated disc, thinning disc and disc degeneration with osteophyte formation.

In rare cases, inborn defects can cause poor muscle growth or weak muscles. In such cases, the back is unable to support itself sufficiently. This leads to myriad back problems.

As we mentioned earlier, people who are emotionally unstable may be more prone to experiencing acute sciatica attacks than people who are able to cope well with emotional stress.

The sacroiliac joint is located below the lumbar region. In some cases, a nerve called the L5 nerve becomes compressed or is irritated. When irritation of this nerve occurs, it is possible that the sciatic nerve will also be affected.

Scar tissue can form near the sciatic nerve after surgery. If the scar tissue grows and exerts pressure on the sciatic nerve, sciatica can also result.

Severe infections can occur in the lower back region, irritating multiple nerves -- including the sciatic nerve. If the spinal cord and nerve roots are affected, emergency care should be given.

Infection of the bone. (Internal infection; may cause fever and other common signs of infection.)

Inflammation and infection of one or more vertebral discs.

In some cases, cancer in another organ of the body may have travelled or metastasized to the spine. When cancer metastasizes to the spinal column, cancerous growths can manifest, leading to spinal cord compression and sciatic nerve compression.

So far, we have discussed the most common causes of sciatic pain. The following are less common causes that center on the nerves and the various joints in the spinal column:

1. Fibromyaglia - A chronic condition that causes regular pain flare-up and insomnia. Treatment for fibromyalgia depends on the severity of the condition. Some fibromyalgia sufferers are asked to take NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), while others require stronger painkillers.

2. Referred pain - Sometimes illnesses in other organs of the body produce referred pain -- pain that is felt in another part of the body.

3. Uterine infections

Spine deterioration - Mechanical wear and tear of the spine can grind down the intervertebral discs and individual vertebrae, causing inflammation and irritation of the nerve roots.