Beyond Pain: Lesser Known Signs of Sciatica

Sciatica is a frequent cause of lower back pain. However, lesser-known signs of sciatica often signal that your discomfort is about more than an overworked muscle.

Ravi Panjabi, MD, and our team at Advanced Pain Management in Castro Valley, California, are always interested in uncovering what’s causing your pain. That allows us to relieve pain and restore mobility by treating the root of your discomfort rather than masking the symptoms.

Read more from Dr. Panjabi and our team about sciatica and how its lesser-known symptoms can help pinpoint your diagnosis and most effective treatment plan.

Understanding sciatica

Sciatica is a symptom of sciatic nerve compression, which occurs when structural changes in the lumbar spine (lower back) cause nerve irritation and inflammation.

Common causes of sciatic nerve compression include:

• Herniated disc
• Bone spurs
• Degenerative disc disease
• Arthritis
• Spinal stenosis
• Traumatic injury

Sciatica is also common during pregnancy, especially in the third trimester. Pregnancy-induced sciatica is related to the baby’s growth and other natural changes that stress and strain the lower back and pelvic region.

Anyone can develop sciatica, but it’s rare in individuals under 20 and typically affects those ages 30-50. Fortunately, sciatica usually responds well to treatments that address the underlying causes of nerve compression.

However, effective treatment starts with an accurate diagnosis, sometimes missed since the symptoms may seem unrelated to the spine.

Lesser-known signs of sciatica

Signs you may not connect to sciatica include:

Numbness in unexpected places

Sciatica can cause tingling or numbness anywhere along the nerve’s distribution, including your hips, buttocks, legs, feet, and toes. The symptoms usually affect one side but can occur in both lower extremities.

The tingling is a pins-and-needle sensation similar to what you experience when your foot “falls asleep.” Sciatica-related numbness affects skin sensitivity and may range from mild to severe.

These symptoms can come and go or may last from minutes to days to weeks.

Weakness in the hip, leg, or foot

You might think weakness would come after days of severe pain, but for some, it’s one of the first signs of sciatica.

Struggling to lift your foot or feeling like your hip is giving out when you rise from a chair or take a step could be due to sciatic nerve compression blocking motor (movement) signals to and from the brain.

Posture changes

Your posture may change as your body reacts to sciatic nerve pain, adjusting to avoid irritation and making you sit, stand, or walk awkwardly. Over time, that can cause pain and stiffness in the knees, hips, and other weight-bearing joints.

Loss of bowel or bladder control

Severe sciatica can cause problems with controlling your bladder or bowels. That’s an indication of severe nerve compromise and requires immediate medical attention.

Pain while sitting

Back pain often eases when you sit. However, sciatica can make sitting more uncomfortable. If sitting at your desk, in the car, or on the couch feels worse than standing or lying down, it’s a red flag for sciatica.

Burning or shooting pain

Rather than a dull or aching pain just in the lower back, sciatica is often described as a sharp, shooting, electric, or burning sensation traveling (radiating) into the hips, thighs, and legs. 

Worsening pain with coughing or sneezing

A cough or sneeze can trigger sciatic pain because the sudden movement increases pressure on the nerve.

The good news is sciatica usually responds well to conservative treatments, including physical therapy, epidural steroid injections to reduce inflammation, and other therapies that reduce pressure on the sciatic nerve.

Schedule a visit with Dr. Panjabi at Advanced Pain Management today by calling the office or requesting an appointment online.