Your sciatic nerve is a large nerve running from the lower back down the back of each leg and into your foot. It controls the muscles in the back of your knee, lower leg, and gives feeling to:

• sole of your foot
• part of your lower leg
• the back of your thigh

When you have sciatica, you might experience:

• pain
• tingling
• weakness
• numbness

This feeling can start in your lower back and run all the way down your leg to your calf, foot and toes. Usually only disturbing one side of the body.

Causes of sciatica may be due to:

• a ruptured disk
• spinal stenosis
• injury ~ pelvic fracture

In many cases no cause can be found. And in most cases, sciatica heals on its own, given time and rest.

Self help treatments include:

• hot or cold therapy on painful muscles
• bed rest for a couple of days for inflammation reduction
• after initial rest period, get moving to help reduce inflammation
• nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs ~ ibuprofen, aspirin or muscle relaxants for pain relief

Start stretching exercises and short walks as soon as possible.

If sciatica pain persists for more than 3 months, discuss it with your health care provider for possible cortisone drug injections or surgical options.

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Spinal stenosis causes narrowing in your spine. The narrowing can occur at the center of your spine, in the canals branching off your spine and/or between the bones of the spine.

This narrowing puts pressure on your nerves and spinal cord and can cause pain. Some symptoms of this stenosis may be pain in your neck or back, numbness, weakness or pain in your arms or legs, and/or foot problems.

Not to mention that when one part of your spine fails, it usually places increased stress on other parts. Osteoarthritis may also add to your back pain pot.

In the absence of severe or progressive nerve involvement, initial treatments usually include:

• back braces
• medications
• hot/cold packs
• physical therapy/exercises

Chiropractic treatments and acupuncture may also offer some relief.

In many cases, the conditions causing spinal stenosis cannot be permanently altered by nonsurgical treatment, even though these measures may relieve pain for a period of time.

And yes, there’s always back surgery as the last resort. All surgeries carry risks. The most common complications of spinal stenosis surgeries are:

• infection
• blood clot that forms in the veins
• tearing the membrane covering the spinal cord at the site of the operation

The presence of other diseases and the physical condition are also significant factors to consider when making decisions about surgery.

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• Back Pain: Cause(s) of Lower Back Painful Ache
• Why Exercise Causes and Prevents Lower Back Pain
• The Only Thing You Have To Loose Is The Backpain!
• Prevention Tips to Avoid of Painful Lower Back Ache
• Why or What May Cause(s) Chronic Back or Lower Back Pain
• Sciatica Nerve Pain Symptoms, Treatment and Exercises for Relief

Exercise may be a double edged sword for you when it comes to muscle induced lower back pain. It can cause it as well as prevent it.

Discovering the repetitive movement causing your particular lower back pain is the first step in prevention. The next step is to develop a fitness routine that strengthens your lower back without the associated pain causing strain.

For exercise induced lower back muscle pain there are two factors to consider. The first is the way your spine moves, or the way you feel when you move your spine in certain ways.

The second is sprains which are tears in the ligaments that support the spine, and they can occur from twisting or lifting. Your pain may be a result of the way your spine aligns and its associated muscle support system.

Practicing good posture and exercises that increase balance and strength might be good starting point. Although exercise is usually not advisable for acute back pain, proper exercise can help ease chronic pain and perhaps reduce its risk of returning.

Back pain is more common among people who are not physically fit. Weak back and abdominal muscles may not properly support the spine. If you go out and exercise a lot after being inactive you are more likely to suffer painful back injuries than those who make moderate physical activity a daily habit.

Keeping your back muscles strong is one of the best ways to minimize your risk, along with maintaining a healthy weight. Hot or cold packs may bring temporary relief, but doesn’t fix the cause.

Behavioral changes, such as learning to lift properly and exercising more, as well as getting more sleep and improving your diet, are all steps in right direction of prevention and away from causation.

A wide variety of factors can increase your risk of back problems:

• getting older
• having poor posture
• being out of shape/overweight
• disease/condition that causes back pain
• having a job that requires lifting, pushing or pulling while twisting your spine

In most cases, it is not necessary to see a doctor for back pain because pain usually goes away with or without treatment. However, a trip to the doctor is probably a good idea if you have numbness or tingling, if your pain is severe and doesn’t improve with medications and rest, or if you have pain after a fall or an injury.

It is also important to see your doctor if you have pain along with any of the following problems:

• fever
• trouble urinating
• unintentional weight loss
• weakness, pain, or numbness in your legs

Such symptoms could signal a serious problem that requires treatment soon.

Protect your back from further injury by using Back Braces for Lower Back.

• Beat Lower Back Pain
• Back Pain: Lower Back’s Painful Ache
• Why Have Back Pain and What to Do About It
• Why Spinal Stenosis Causes Back Ache or Pain
• Back Pain: Cause(s) of Lower Back Painful Ache
• The Only Thing You Have To Loose Is The Backpain!
• Prevention Tips to Avoid of Painful Lower Back Ache
• Why or What May Cause(s) Chronic Back or Lower Back Pain
• Sciatica Nerve Pain Symptoms, Treatment and Exercises for Relief