If your pain is severe, the doctor might order imaging tests to check for bone spurs and herniated disks. They might have you do certain activities, like walking on your heels or toes, to see what’s causing your pain. You'll also get a physical exam so they can check your reflexes and see how strong your muscles are. They will also want to know about your lifestyle: Do you do a lot of physical work, like heavy lifting? Do you sit for long periods of time? How often do you exercise? The first thing your doctor probably will do is ask questions about your back pain: Do you have numbness or weakness in your legs? Do certain positions help your discomfort? Has the pain kept you from doing any activities? Have any home remedies eased your pain at all? If you've had an injured lower back or spine, that can also make sciatica more likely.

Your job, if it involves sitting or driving for long periods of time, twisting your back, or carrying heavy things.

Sleeping on a mattress that is too hard or too soft.

Not exercising regularly and not having strong muscles in your core (your glutes, abs, and back).

Aging (which can cause changes in the spine, like bone spurs or herniated disks).

Risk factors, or things that may make you more likely to develop sciatica, include

Spondylolisthesis (a condition in which one vertebra slips forward over another one).

Degenerative disk disease (breakdown of disks, which act as cushions between the vertebrae).

Lumbar spinal stenosis (narrowing of the spinal canal in your lower back).

Sciatica results from irritation of the root(s) of your lower lumbar and lumbosacral spine.Ī herniated disk causes most cases of sciatic pain.

Loss of bladder or bowel control (leaking or not being able to make it to the toilet in time).

Burning when you pee or blood in your pee.

Numbness or weakness in the upper thighs, legs, pelvis, or bottom.

Swelling or redness in your back or spine.

Seek medical attention right away if you have: For others, the sciatica pain might be infrequent and irritating but has the potential to get worse. The pain may worsen when you cough or sneeze.įor some people, the pain from sciatica can be severe and disabling. Depending on where the sciatic nerve is affected, the pain may also extend to the foot or toes.

Often, the pain extends from the lower back all the way through the back of your thigh and down through your leg. Sciatica usually affects only one side of the lower body. A shooting pain that makes it hard to stand up.

A constant pain on one side of the rear.Weakness, numbness, or a hard time moving the leg or foot.Pain in the rear or leg that is worse when sitting.

Emg for sciatica nerve