Causes of sciatica are varied, and unfortunately in many cases the cause of sciatic pain cannot be identified. It is believed that the general wear and tear of the body can result in sciatica pain, which can usually be relieved with some form of sciatica treatment. Sciatica is caused by injury to, or compression of the sciatic nerve.
Sciatic nerve pain starts when the main nerve into your leg, the sciatic nerve, is irritated, pinched, or compressed in some way. This can happen for one or more of several reasons; the following are the main causes of sciatica:
- Isthmic Spondylolisthesis – A stress fracture in the fifth lumbar vertebra, known as L5 can cause disc movement and hence sciatic symptoms.
- Piriformis Syndrome – The Piriformis muscle is located in your lower back and can sometimes spasm, resulting in sciatica symptoms.
- Degenerative Disc Disease – The discs in your spine will age just as you do and are prone to wear and tear like the rest of your body. Your discs are aging and one of them has given way, hence pinching, irritating or putting pressure on your sciatic nerve.
- Lumbar spinal stenosis – Different roots of the sciatic nerve pass through passageways in the spine. The passageways could become smaller, which will result in pinching, irritation or increased pressure on the nerve.
- Lumbar herniated disc – The discs in your spine are like shock absorbers, allowing your back to bend and swivel. The effects of ageing may weaken or damage the discs and a disc can bulge out, split, cause pinching or putting pressure on your sciatic nerve. This is one of the most common causes of sciatica pain.
- Trauma – Accidents that causes sudden compression of the sciatic nerve can produce great pain, for example, breaking a bone that results in pressure on the nerve.
- Tumors – May irritate or compress the sciatic nerve and produce sciatica; however, this is rarely attributed as one of the causes.
- Pregnancy – Due to carrying a baby there is extra strain on your spine, which can cause sciatic pain.
Advice and guidance on sciatica treatment products that are opening sufferers eyes to new sciatic nerve treatment methods. Will you get the answers that will remove the discomfort that sciatica sufferers have to deal with? I personally believe you will.
