Several years ago I had to endure a flair up of sciatic nerve pain: sciatica. To be perfectly honest, it was one of the worst years of my life that I had to live with it. But where did this sciatic discomfort and annoying pain come from. What could I have done to prevent it? Following is some basic information about sciatica and what brings it on.

Most people depict sciatic pain as sharp, achy, dull, like needles or pins pricking the skin. Many will say that its like experiencing electric shocks all up your rear end and leg. Other feelings related with sciatica are numbness, tingling, and burning sensations that never seem to stop and increase with stress and anxiety.

Sciatica is caused by any number of reasons but the main one is from physical strain over the years of one’s life. Some of the more common ones are bad posture both in sitting and sleeping, muscle strains from sports or other strenuous activities or other physical maladies. All of these add up to extra stress on the sciatic nerve and surrounding tissue which can cause the flair ups. For the most part, it is the nerve itself that is normally being irritated, where from tumors, pregnancy or other factors.

In most patients, the sciatic nerve discomfort is brought on and exacerbated by the constant pressure and flexing of the piriformis muscle. This muscle runs onder the lower section of the spine and helps flex and move the hips. This muscle is extremely likely to be affected by arthritis or other conditions. Any of these can also bring upon sciatica and the pain associated with it.

The cause of the pain is really difficult to pinpoint sometimes, but your doctor will evaluate your medical charts and history, as well as give you a full physical exam. Sometimes x-rays and MRI are also needed.

you should be prepared to undergo all of these tests and more, should you pain persist. If left un-treated, the pain or sciatica will knock you out of commission for sure. Keep in mind that getting to the root cause is the foremost goal in beginning treatment. Sciatica has many causes.

There is a way to cure sciatica and the discomfort that comes with it, but you need to be prepared to work at it. Curing the problem may involve several steps and you it will not be easy. It takes persistence and the ability to work for the goal. Do it right, and you will be get better.