A pinched nerve in your back can result in severe pain that runs from your lower back and down the back of one leg running from the buttocks down the back of the thigh and even into the calf and foot.
Pain from a pinched nerve may start abruptly or gradually over time. Generally, it is characterized by sharp, shooting pain that feels a lot like an electrical shock. Moving the leg, back or other area of the body affected by the pinch nerve will often increase this pain.
Pain from a pinched nerve may be dispersed uniformly along the leg, but there are commonly certain spots where the pain is more intense. This pain is often followed 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 rear of both legs.
Root causes of a Pinched Nerve.
A pinched nerve may arise from a process which causes pressure or inflammation of the nerve roots which make up the sciatic nerve. This pressure might be triggered by a variety of factors, including a ruptured intervertebral spinal disc, the narrowing of the bony spinal canal (called spinal stenosis), or, in rare cases, by an infection or tumor.
The sciatic nerve is the longest and largest in the body, measuring three-quarters of an inch in diameter in adults. It starts in the sacral plexus, the system of nerves situated 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 pressed, or “pinched”, it can cause pain along these pathways. This is the reason pinched nerve pain can spread or radiate to other parts of your body.
Pinched nerve pain may be brought on by a bulging or herniated disk, degenerative disk disease, piriformis syndrome, 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 triggers your pain and other signs and symptoms.
Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression Treatment and Pinched Nerves.
If you are experiencing persistent lower back pain brought on by a pinched nerve, consider seeking treatment from one of our medical practitioners. By providing light, non-surgical spinal decompression treatment, our team of spinal disc practitioners can help relieve the pressure caused by your slipped disc and provide immediate relief to your back pain.
If you or somebody you know is dealing 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 examination.
Contact Brookhaven Disc Center at 601-833-8100 to Schedule Your Consultation Today!
