Sciatica Summary Sciatica is a symptom of a problem with the sciatic nerve, the largest nerve in the body. It controls muscles in the back of your knee and lower leg and provides feeling to the back of your thigh, part of your lower leg, and the sole of your foot. When you have sciatica, you have pain, weakness, numbness, or tingling. It can start in the lower back and extend down your leg to your calf, foot, or even your toes. It’s usually on only one side of your body. Causes of sciatica include A ruptured intervertebral disk Narrowing of the spinal canal that puts pressure on the nerve, called spinal stenosis An injury such as a pelvic fracture. In many cases no cause can be found. Sometimes sciatica goes away on its own. Treatment, if needed, depends on the cause of the problem. It may include exercises, medicines, and surgery. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases Health Check Tools Chronic Back Pain DSHI Systems Clinical Trials ClinicalTrials.gov: Sciatica National Institutes of Health Diagnosis and Tests Computed Tomography (CT) – Spine Array Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) – Spine Array Treatments and Therapies Epidural Injections for Spinal Pain Array Find an Expert Find a Physical Therapist American Physical Therapy Association National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases Array MRI and low back pain Piriformis syndrome Sciatica Specifics Piriformis Syndrome National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke Piriformis Syndrome American Academy of Family Physicians Journal Articles Sciatica Start Here Sciatica Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research Videos and Tutorials Spinal Fusion Surgery for Relief of Chronic Lower Back Pain OR-Live Related Issues Tarlov Cysts National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke Statistics and Research Treating Back-Related Leg Pain with Spinal Manipulation and Home Exercise American College of Physicians
