Discover How Much You Know About Sciatica!

Spinal disc herniation is the leading cause of sciatica, and it affects around 90 percent of the population. In case of spinal disc herniation, one of the lumbar or sacral nerve roots gets pressed, giving rise to sciatica pain. Besides spinal disc herniation, other factors which may cause sciatica include spondylolisthesis, spinal stenosis, and pelvic tumors.

Piriformis syndrome is a condition in which the sciatic nerve around the piriformis muscle gets compressed. Its symptoms include pain and numbness in the buttocks, which may go down to the leg. It may be caused due to the trauma of the gluteal muscle, spasms of the piriformis muscle, or an overuse injury.

Sciatica is most common amongst people who are in their 40s and 50s. It rarely occurs in people in their 30s. It is due to the fact that age-related changes in the spine such as herniated discs, the most common cause of sciatica, become more common as the age progresses.

Risk factors which may give rise to sciatica include the following: Occupation - Job which requires heavy load lifting or driving a motor vehicle for long may cause sciatica Obesity - Obesity increases the stress on the spine, which may contribute to the changes which give rise to sciatica pain Diabetes - Diabetes increases the risk of nerve damage, which may lead to sciatica Prolonged sitting - People are more likely to develop sciatica if they sit for prolonged periods