6 Most Common Causes of Sciatica
Sciatica refers to the pain that follows along the path of the sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve branches from your lower back through your hips, buttocks and the outer side of the leg.
Keep reading to learn the 6 most common causes of sciatica.
A lumbar herniated disc refers to a problem with one of the cushions (discs) that are between the individual bones (vertebrae) that are stacked and make up your spine. A spinal disc has a soft interior and hard exterior. The term herniation means that the material at the center of the disc has squeezed out of its normal space. Sciatica is the most common symptom of a lumbar herniated disc.
Degenerative disc disease is a condition in which a damaged spinal disc causes pain. A weakened disc can result in excessive micro-motion at the spinal level and inflammatory proteins from within the disc become exposed and irritate the nerve root(s) in the area.
Isthmic spondylolisthesis occurs when a small stress fracture allows one vertebrae to slip forward on another. Because of the disc space collapsing, the fracture and the vertebral body slipping forward causes a pinched nerve and sciatica.
Lumbar spinal stenosis is an abnormal condition where the spinal canal narrows causing pressure on the spinal cord or nerve roots.
Piriformis syndrome is caused when the piriformis muscle in the buttock compresses the sciatic nerve. The piriformis muscle is a flat, band-like muscle located near the top of the hip joint. This muscle helps to stabilize the hip joint and lift and rotate the thigh away from the body.
Sacroiliac joint dysfunction is called a ‘dysfunction’ because it is still often unclear why this joint becomes painful and leads to low back pain. Irritation of the sacroiliac joint can cause an irritation of the L5 nerve. This nerve lies on top of the sacroiliac joint and can cause a sciatica type pain.
