Sciatic Nerve Damage

Sciatica is the term used to refer to the numbness, tingling or pain that people who have suffered from nerve damage experience. These people have suffered from a compression of the sciatic nerve – the longest nerve in our body. When this happens, the sciatic nerve, which is located at the back of the leg, gets damaged. It is this nerve that controls the muscles in the lower leg and the muscles of the back of the knees. It also ensures that there is sensation in the back of the thigh, the lower leg and even the soles of the feet. Usually, the damage to the sciatic nerve is caused by either some kind of injury. This is usually a fracture, though injury to the pelvic area can also affect the sciatic nerve. A slipped disc or spinal stenosis can also be responsible for damage to the nerve. In some cases, a degenerative disc disease can affect the nerve. People who have a job that requires them to sit for long hours are more likely to suffer from this condition. Similarly people whose job involves carrying heavy loads or having to twist their backs are likely to suffer from sciatica.

The pain caused by sciatica varies widely between people. In some people, this feels like a dull ache or a mild tingling, while others experience a burning sensation. Sometimes the pain is severe enough to make movement difficult. In most cases, people experience the pain on only one side. The pain is often severe in one leg and the person may experience weakness in that particular leg. The pain may be particularly bad when the person has been in one position for a long time. This could either be standing or sitting, but bending can also cause this pain to occur. A sensation of tingling or a feeling of “pins and needles” is another symptom of sciatica.

Damage to the sciatic nerve can cause some degree of disability in the patient. The degree of disability varies from person to person and can be either partial or complete. The pain in the nerve may be very severe in some cases thus restricting movement. In some cases the patient may also suffer from a complete loss of movement in the leg. Other patients complain of a loss of sensation in the affected leg, while still others may find that they suffer injuries to the leg, which go unnoticed.