Sciatica Symptoms
Many people in Malaysia suffer from sciatica symptoms without fully understanding what type of illness they have and how to best treat their pain. My Bowen Therapy created this page to help our online visitors learn about sciatic symptoms.
Sciatica is a set of symptoms that are related to the sciatic nerve, which extends from the lower back and travels down the back of each leg.
In most cases sciatica symptom, will only affect one side of the lower body. The pain radiates from the lower back through the back of the thigh and down the leg and possibly to the foot and toes.
Sciatica symptoms also have different levels of pain that range from severe and debilitating pain to occasional, sporadic pain that is more irritating than debilitating.
Some combination of the following symptoms is most common:
- The feeling of “pins-and-needles” sensation, numb, weak feeling or prickling sensation
- Pain in the lower back or buttock region that travels down the leg and into the foot and toes
- Weakness, numbness or difficulty of movement of a single leg or foot, Sciatic nerve pain rarely occurs in both sides of the body
- Reoccurring, constant pain in one side of the buttocks or leg
- Pain that intensifies when standing or sitting, and decreases when lying or walking – a shooting pain that inhibits standing
- Severe or shooting pain in one leg, making it difficult to stand up or walk
- Discomfort in the toes, relative to location of the Sciatic nerve
- Lower back pain that occurs in conjunction with a more extreme pain emanating from the leg
Problematic Sciatic Nerve Locations
The sciatic nerve is a long nerve with runs through several body parts, there are several different types of pain/symptoms that are all relative to each problem area.
A deep understanding of different nerve locations and their own unique set of symptoms significantly improves the quality of treatment for sciatica nerve.
The three most common areas causing Sciatic problems are the L4 nerve root, L5 nerve root and the S1 nerve root.
L4 Nerve Root
The L4 nerve root is in the L3-L4 level, in the lower spine. This spinal segment plays an important role in supporting the chest. Sciatica symptoms from this area of the sciatic nerve are associated with numbness and pain to the calf section of the leg and the foot.
It can also cause weakness in the ability to heel walk (bring the foot upwards). Patients may also experience reduced reflexes for the knee-jerk test.
L5 Nerve Root
The L5 nerve root is in the L4-L5 spinal segment which also helps to support the chest while also allowing for the various degrees of motion (twisting & turning). Sciatica symptoms include pain and or numbness at the top part of the foot, with an emphasis on the webbed areas between the big toe and the second toe.
S1 Nerve Root
The S1 nerve root is in the L5-S1 (lumbosacral joint) at the bottom of the spine. Sciatic symptoms from this area include pain and numbness to outside (lateral) part of the foot. Weaknesses include the inability to lift the heel off the ground or walking on tiptoes. Patients may also experience reduce response to knee-jerk type reflexes.
Sciatic Nerve Treatment
My Bowen Therapy has been treating sciatic nerve pain for almost 5 years. We have a great success rate of providing real comfort within a couple of therapy sessions. Visit our sciatica treatment and pain relief page to learn more about treating sciatic related problems.