How is sciatica different from back pain?

Involves the nerve.: Back pain is usually localized to the small of the back and can at times be relieved with heat and/or massage. Sciatica occurs when the nerve running down the leg is injured or irritated. It causes tingling, numbness and electrical shock type pain and discomfort which is usually not relieved with typical methods.

Back vs. leg pain: Sciatica refers to pain that travels down the back of the leg. It often originates from a swollen, inflamed spinal nerve. Back pain may come from the spine but from a structure that does not radiate pain into the leg.

Symptom Vs Cause: Sciatica is the symptom of leg pain caused by a disc herniation or narrowing where the nerve exits the spine. A disc herniation is a outpouching of the disc from its normal place into the spinal canal or on the nerve and can be a source of pain in the back or down the leg, .