A pinched nerve in your back can cause severe pain that runs from your lower back and down the rear of one leg running from the buttock down the back of the thigh and even into the calf and foot.
Pain from a pinched nerve may start abruptly or slowly. Typically, it is characterized by sharp, shooting pain that feels a lot like an electrical shock. Moving the leg, back or other part of the body affected by the pinched nerve will often increase this pain.
Pain from a pinched nerve may be distributed evenly along the leg, but there usually are certain spots where the pain is more intense. This pain is often accompanied by numbness or a tingling sensation along the sciatic nerves, the longest nerve group in the body which runs from the lower back and down the back of both legs.
Sources of a Pinched Nerve.
A pinched nerve may come from a process which causes pressure or irritation of the nerve roots which make up the sciatic nerve. This pressure might be caused by a variety of factors, including a ruptured intervertebral disk, the narrowing of the bony spinal canal (known as spinal stenosis), or, in rare cases, by an infection or tumor.
The sciatic nerve is the longest and largest in the body, measuring 3/4 of an inch in diameter in adults. It starts in the sacral plexus, the web of nerves located in the lower back (lumbosacral spine).
The sciatic nerve and its branches are what allow movement and sensation, or motor and sensory functions. in the thigh, knee, calf, ankle, foot and toes.
If your sciatic nerve is compressed, or “pinched”, it can cause pain along these pathways. This is the reason pinched nerve pain can radiate or spread to other parts of your body.
Pinched nerve pain may be triggered by a bulging or herniated disc, degenerative disk disease, piriformis disorder, pregnancy, spinal stenosis, a spinal tumor or spinal infection, or by injury.
All of these disorders can apply pressure to the sciatic nerve or other related nerve roots located in your lower back. It is this compression, or pinching, that results in your pain and other symptoms.
Gentle, Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression Treatment.
If you are experiencing reoccurring lower back pain caused by a pinched nerve, consider seeking treatment from one of our medical experts. By providing light, non-surgical spinal decompression treatment, our team of spinal disc specialists can help relieve the pressure brought on by your slipped disc and provide immediate relief to your back pain.
If you or somebody you know is struggling with pain as the result of a pinched nerve or another type of lower back pain, we can help. Contact us today for your free consultation.
Call Forsyth Disc Center Today at 478-994-1562 for a Free Consultation!