Also known as sciatica, sciatica is characterized by a painful sensation, more or less intense, along the anatomical areas covered by the sciatic nerve.
The typical cause of this condition is the compression, with irritative effects, of the sciatic nerve or its roots at the spinal level; some of the possible factors responsible for this compression are: herniated disc, vertebral or foraminal stenosis, spinal tumors of the lumbo-sacral tract, piriformis syndrome and advanced pregnancy.
Often, in addition to pain, sciatica is also responsible for other symptoms, such as: tingling, numbness, muscle weakness and difficulty moving.
For a correct diagnosis of sciatica, physical examination associated with a thorough medical history is often sufficient; however, in some particular situations, it is possible that the doctor will resort to more in-depth investigations.
Treatment varies according to the severity of the sciatica: for milder sciatica forms, rest may be enough; for moderate and severe forms of sciatica, however, the intervention of a doctor is essential, who could prescribe drugs, targeted physiotherapy and, in extreme cases, even surgery.
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