What is Sciatica?

Sciatica is defined as pain along the course of one, or occasionally, both of the two sciatic nerves that stretch from the end of the spinal cord to the feet. The discomfort may range from a minor pins-and-needles sensation or a vague numbness to a crippling disability with violent throbbing of the back and leg, making any movement excruciating. The pain is aggravated by sneezing, coughing, or laughing, or by standing or sitting for too long. Most victims are in their 40s and 50s. Sciatica is most often caused by a herniated disc that presses on one of the nerve roots.

After reading so many books and articles about sciatica, the above definition best describes it. I generally describe the pain as being a bad leg cramp, except it stays for a couple of weeks before the pain subsides. The one fact in the definition that I would have to disagree with is the sentence, "Most victims are in their 40s or 50s." From all the reading material that I have sifted through over the years, this is true. However, in my case, I was diagnosed with sciatica when I was 19, and have had it for over six years. (I guess I'm an exception to the rule, or the oddball here!)

A person with sciatica typically first has an attack of acute low-back pain accompanied by leg pain. During the next few days or weeks, the back pain subsides while the pain grows worse in the posterior thigh, lower leg, or foot. The person probably does not have a herniated disk if the back pain is greater than that in their legs, or if there is little or no discomfort at or below the knee. Typically, a person with sciatica will limp and will find sitting to be more difficult than standing. When s/he does sit, s/he tends to slouch in order to avoid flexing her/his hips.