Sciatica is a condition characterized by radiating pain that originates in the lower back and extends down the back of the legs, sometimes down to the feet. The pain is caused by the application of pressure to the sciatic nerve, which extends from the lower back down the back of the leg. Commonly the pressure is the result of a herniated, or ruptured, disc in the lower back. A herniated disc occurs when one of the pieces of soft material found between each vertebrae (called discs) becomes displaced from the spine or ruptures. With sciatica, the ruptured disc creates pressure that presses against the sciatic nerve, resulting in radiating pain down the leg. Sciatica can also be the result of a pelvic injury or spinal stenosis, a narrowing in the spine.
Below you will find alternative and natural treatment options including those from a Chinese Medicine perspective for Sciatica.