Sciatica is pain from irritation of the sciatic nerve. Sciatica may be the result of a compressed nerve in the lower spine but can cause symptoms throughout the back and legs.

Often, the term “sciatica” is confused with general back pain. However, sciatica is not just limited to the back. The sciatic nerve is the longest and widest nerve in the human body. It runs from the lower back, through the buttocks, and down the legs, ending just below the knee. This nerve controls several muscles in the lower legs and supplies sensation to the skin of the foot and the majority of the lower leg. Sciatica is not a condition, but rather a symptom of another problem involving the sciatic nerve. Some experts estimate that up to 40 percent of people will experience sciatica at least once in their life.

The main symptom is a shooting pain anywhere along the sciatic nerve; from the lower back, through the buttock, and down the back of either leg. Other common symptoms of sciatica include numbness in the leg along the nerve and/or tingling sensation (pins and needles) in the feet and toes