Sciatica rarely stays confined to the lower back. Pain may travel through the buttock and down one leg, sometimes with burning, tingling, numbness, or weakness that affects sitting, walking, driving, working, and sleep.
Mild symptoms can improve with time and conservative care. An evaluation becomes more appropriate when the pain persists, keeps returning, grows more intense, or begins limiting everyday movement.
The Pain Pattern Offers the First Clue
Sciatica is a symptom pattern rather than a single diagnosis. Irritation or compression of a nerve in the lower spine can produce pain that extends into the leg, but the underlying cause may involve a herniated disc, spinal narrowing, vertebral slippage, or another condition.
The location and behavior of the symptoms help narrow the possibilities. Pain that worsens during prolonged sitting may call for different questions than numbness reaching the foot, weakness on stairs, or discomfort triggered by standing and walking.
