5 Common Causes of Sciatica Pain

Your sciatic nerve is the longest and widest nerve in your body. Without it, you wouldn’t experience sensation in your lower body or bend your knees or walk normally. When the nerve gets damaged or compressed, you can develop sciatica, a chronic and painful condition.

Sciatica is a common back pain culprit. The pain, which often radiates down one side of your body, can range from mild burning sensations to sharp, intense jolts.

Our expert team at Houston Pain Specialists, led by board-certified pain management specialist Hui Kang, MD, offers minimally invasive sciatica treatment to restore your comfort and quality of life.

If you’re dealing with sciatica, your pain may stem from one of the following causes.

1. Herniated discs

Disc herniation happens when the soft center of a disc in your spine bulges through a tear in its exterior. When the bulged-out portion presses on nerves, you can experience bothersome symptoms, including sciatic pain.

Most herniated discs occur in the neck or lower back areas of your spine. They often result from sudden injuries or from wear-and-tear over time.

2. Piriformis syndrome

Your piriformis is a muscle that runs from your lower back to the top of your thighs. Typically, the sciatic nerve runs beneath it. Piriformis syndrome can cause sciatica pain if the inflammation compresses the sciatic nerve.

Piriformis syndrome can stem from inflammation, muscle spasms, or scar tissue. It’s believed to cause up to 6% of low back pain.

3. Traumatic injury

Sudden injuries from car accidents, falls, and sports can also lead to sciatic pain. Any collision or fall that puts pressure on your sciatic nerve is a likely culprit.

Keep in mind that sciatica symptoms may not appear immediately after an auto accident. Delayed pain is common due to:

The adrenaline rush, which can mask pain
Inflammation, which may take days or more to build

4. Spinal stenosis

Spinal stenosis causes the spaces surrounding your spinal cord to shrink. When this happens, nerves can get compressed, leading to sciatica pain and related symptoms, like numbness.

Osteoarthritis causes most cases of spinal stenosis. Spinal stenosis can also result from disc herniation, athletic injuries, aging-related ligament changes, and tumors.

Spondylolisthesis

Spondylolisthesis causes a vertebra, usually in the lower spine, to slip out of place. When that vertebra compresses or irritates the sciatic nerve, you can experience sciatica pain.

Spine degeneration, a fracture, an injury, or a congenital defect usually causes spondylolisthesis, but sports, older age, and genetic factors increase your risk.

Finding sciatica relief

Your ideal sciatica treatment depends on your symptoms, the underlying cause, and your overall health. Common options include medication, physical therapy, heat and cold packs, and epidural injections. An epidural may provide a wise option during an intense flare-up.

To get started toward sciatica relief with personalized, expert care, contact our Houston, Texas, office today to schedule an appointment.