Sciatica is the name given to the pain in the leg that radiates from the lower back an d buttock, down through the thigh and calf, sometimes reaching the toes. Sciatica literally means pain from pressure on the sciatic nerve. This pain can be felt as an aching, burning or stinging. It can be so severe that it makes every movement, including sitting, coughing and sneezing excruciating. It can be accompanied with feelings of numbness, pins and needles, spasms and cramp.
Some people report no back pain, but the origin of the problem is in the spine.
It is not caused by nerve pressure but by pain in a disc or facet joint or the surrounding soft tissues. People who are either tall, smoke, or have a family history of disc problems, are more at risk. You should continue with your life as much as the pain allows, it is sometimes necessary to stop for a while to relax and recover, but this does not mean become immobile and you should start a gradual return to normal activities and gentle exercise as soon as possible. It is important to know that half of the people with nerve root pain recover within six weeks and that only one in a hundred of those referred to hospital out patient departments require surgery. Treatment options obviously depend on the severity of the symptoms and the cause of the problem, but always try the least invasive, most conservative treatment first.