The term “sciatica” refers to symptoms involving leg pain along the large sciatic nerve running along the back of each of your legs. This pain often accompanies tingling, numbness and weakness originating in your lower back and traveling all along the back of your leg.

Symptoms of sciatica are fairly consistent. You may experience one or more of the following if you’re living with the pain of sciatica:

• Constant pain on one side of your leg and buttock — note that this condition rarely affects both legs
• Leg pain that is often more pronounced when sitting
• Leg pain you might describe as burning, searing or tingling
• Radiating pain traveling down the back of one leg and possibly into your foot and toes
• Sharp pain making walking and standing painful

The pain from sciatica may be infrequent and irritating or it can become constant and incapacitating depending on the location of the affected nerve. You may have a greater risk of developing sciatica if you are older, overweight, have diabetes, work in a physically demanding job or work in a job requiring long periods of sitting.

Treatments for sciatica often involve treating the underlying condition and may include:

• Acupuncture
• Chiropractic care
• Exercise
• Cryotherapy
• Physical therapy
• Massage therapy