At The Woodlands Sports Medicine Centre, we believe that everyone deserves access to top-quality sports medicine and orthopedic care. That’s why we’ve put together a team of outstanding orthopedic surgeons, physical therapists, and athletic trainers who can help residents of Conroe and Woodlands, Texas, feel and function at peak levels.
One of the more common conditions that brings patients in for care is sciatica. But those suffering from sciatica are often unaware of the source of their pain. We’re happy to share some insight into the most common signs and symptoms of sciatica in the hopes of helping you identify the problem and begin seeking treatment.
Your sciatic nerve is both the longest and thickest nerve in your body. It’s a bundle of nerves that branch off from your spinal cord. You have one sciatic nerve on one side of your body and one on the other. Each extends down through your hip and buttock, then down into your leg, extending to just below your knee.
From there, the bundle of nerves split and continue to run down through your lower leg and into your feet. Because of the size of your sciatica nerves and how many structures they connect to, sciatica can cause unusual sensations virtually anywhere in your lower body.
When something places undue pressure on a portion of your sciatic nerves, it causes the affected nerve fibers to create abnormal sensations. This is called sciatica.
Knowing what to look for empowers you to take action in the earliest stages of sciatica. Here are some of the changes you might experience if you develop sciatica.
Pain is the most common sign of sciatica. Pain can range from being mildly annoying to nearly incapacitating. It can be steady, or come and go over time. People have described sciatica pain as feeling like an electric shock or as a burning sensation. Pain often follows activities like bending down, sneezing, or coughing.
Many people who experience sciatica report a sensation of muscle weakness that comes about without any clear cause. Unlike the muscle fatigue that can follow a long walk or a day spent helping someone move, this type of weakness happens spontaneously.
You know that pins-and-needles feeling that happens when you stand up after sitting in one position for too long? Sciatica can cause a similar tingling, but without any reason. Some people find these sensations incredibly difficult to ignore, and just as uncomfortable as true pain.
The opposite of pain, numbness can also be a troubling sign of nerve problems like sciatica. If you notice frequent loss of sensation in your lower body, it’s important to pay close attention. Sciatica can interrupt the transmission of sensory data between the body and the brain, which can cause loss of sensation.
Your nerves play a vital role in urinary function. When your sciatic nerve becomes compressed or otherwise damaged, the signals from your brain that trigger urination can be interrupted. This can make it difficult for you to begin urinating, or even worse, can cause you to lose urine involuntarily.
If you experience any of these symptoms, we are here to help. The Woodlands Sports Medicine Centre offers state-of-the-art diagnostic and treatment technology to get to the root cause of your symptoms and get you started on a path toward lasting relief.
It’s easy to schedule a visit with The Woodlands Sports Medicine Centre. You can call during normal business hours to speak with a friendly member of the administrative staff or use our easy online booking around the clock at your convenience.
