What are some key symptoms of sciatica?

Radicular pain: Sciatica is a term for pain that radiates along the sciatic nerve, anywhere from the lower back, buttocks, down the back of the leg, to the foot. There may also be weakness, numbness, tingling, particularly in the leg and/or foot. The location of the pain and/or numbness varies according to the location that the sciatic nerve or nerve root is affected.

Pain: Sciatica refers to pain along the distribution of the sciatic nerve. Commonly it refers to pain starting in the buttock and traveling to the back of the leg to the ankle. There can be associated weakness in the leg and foot. Sensation changes, such as numbness, may also occur. More severe cases can be associated with bowel/bladder issues (an emergency).

Back & Leg Pain: Sciatica is pain in the distribution of the leg as a result of an irritated nerve or facet joints or other injury typically in the lumbar spine (low back) which are caused by herniated disks, spinal stenosis or degenerative disc disease, etc requiring further evaluation by a spine specialist and may be candidate for facet injections/radiofrequency ablation and epidural steroid injection.