The Sciatic Nerve

The ischiatic nerve, more commonly known as the sciatic nerve, is a large network of nerves that originates in the lower back (lumbosacral spine) and goes down through the buttocks, behind the knees and spreading down through the lower legs and feet. It is the largest and longest single most nerve in our body. The diameter measures up to three fourths of an inch.

Lumbosacral spine is the combination of the lumbar and sacrum. The sciatic nerve and its branches enable feeling and movement that would be the sensory and motor functions for the knees, thighs, ankle, calves, toes, and feet.

Sciatic nerve pain is often the result of a herniated disc that is putting direct pressure on the nerve. Any swelling or irritation can also cause the symptoms of sciatica. They may be from the nerve being irritated from adjacent tumors, bone, muscle, infections, internal bleeding, and injury, among others. Sciatica is a basic term used to describe the pain along the sciatic nerve. The pain is sometimes described like than of an electrical shock that starts at the buttocks and going down the back of the thigh and leg. Most often, the cause is from a herniated (protruding or ruptured) disk in the back; however there are other reasons that cause sciatic nerve pain. Other causes may be from lumbar facet joint syndrome, sacroiliitis, iliolumbar syndrome, lumbar spinal stenosis, degenerative disk disease and others.

The sciatic nerve enters the lower torso by leaving the pelvic region by means of the greater sciatic foramen and under the Piriformis muscle. It travels halfway in the greater trochanter located in the femur and the ischium tuberosity, along the posterior of the thigh to the lower third, then divides forming two big branches then following through the two big branches called the common peroneal nerves and tibial. The division of the bundles can be at any point between the bottom third of the thigh and sacral plexus. The sciatic nerve begins by resting on the back part of the ischium. Further down, it lies on the inner side of the thigh.

Sciatica can be a result of a displaced or herniated disk that is pressing on the nerve. It can be from the cause of inflammation, or some other irritant that can cause the pain of sciatica. Diagnosis for sciatic pain is observing symptoms, range of motion, nerve tests, and possibly x-rays or magnetic resonance imaging scans (MRI's). Some treatment choices may include avoiding motions that may further exacerbate the situation, physical therapy, medication, and sometimes surgery.

Medically speaking is not a condition but a term that describes symptoms. Symptoms from the sciatic nerve like that of shooting pain, numbness, and tingling caused by low conditions.