Sciatica refers to pain that radiates along the path of the sciatic nerve, which branches from your lower back through your hips and buttocks and ...COVID-19:Advice,updatesandvaccineoptionsWeareopenforsafein-personcare.Learnmore:MayoClinicfactsaboutcoronavirusdisease2019(COVID-19)OurCOVID-19patientandvisitorguidelines,plustrustedhealthinformationLateston COVID-19vaccination bysite:ArizonapatientvaccinationupdatesArizona,FloridapatientvaccinationupdatesFlorida,RochesterpatientvaccinationupdatesRochesterandMayoClinicHealthSystempatientvaccinationupdatesMCHSSkiptositenavigationSkiptoContentThiscontentdoesnothaveanEnglishversion.ThiscontentdoesnothaveanArabicversion.SectionsforSciaticaSymptoms&causesDiagnosis&treatmentDoctors&departmentsPrintOverviewSciaticnerveOpenpop-updialogboxCloseSciaticnerveSciaticnerveThesciaticnervesbranchesfromyourlowerbackthroughyourhipsandbuttocksanddowneachleg.Sciaticareferstopainthatradiatesalongthepathofthesciaticnerve,whichbranchesfromyourlowerbackthroughyourhipsandbuttocksanddowneachleg.Typically,sciaticaaffectsonlyonesideofyourbody.Sciaticamostcommonlyoccurswhenaherniateddisk,bonespuronthespineornarrowingofthespine(spinalstenosis)compressespartofthenerve.Thiscausesinflammation,painandoftensomenumbnessintheaffectedleg.Althoughthepainassociatedwithsciaticacanbesevere,mostcasesresolvewithnon-operativetreatmentsinafewweeks.Peoplewhohaveseveresciaticathat'sassociatedwithsignificantlegweaknessorbowelorbladderchangesmightbecandidatesforsurgery.Products&ServicesBook:MayoClinicGuidetoPainReliefSymptomsPainthatradiatesfromyourlower(lumbar)spinetoyourbuttockanddownthebackofyourlegisthehallmarkofsciatica.Youmightfeelthediscomfortalmostanywherealongthenervepathway,butit'sespeciallylikelytofollowapathfromyourlowbacktoyourbuttockandthebackofyourthighandcalf.Thepaincanvarywidely,fromamildachetoasharp,burningsensationorexcruciatingpain.Sometimesitcanfeellikeajoltorelectricshock.Itcanbeworsewhenyoucoughorsneeze,andprolongedsittingcanaggravatesymptoms.Usu