(Sciatica health hub article index)

Information on sciatica symptoms, causes, diagnosis, and a full range of treatment options for sciatica pain (including sciatica exercises and back pain medications)

What you need to know about sciatica
August 8, 2007
The condition of sciatica—pain along the large sciatic nerve that runs from the lower back down the back of each leg—is a relatively common form of low back pain and leg pain. This article reviews common causes of pain along the large sciatic nerve, symptoms, and a full range of treatment options. Read more... | En Español
By: Stephen H. Hochschuler, MD

Living with degenerative disc disease
February 16, 2007
This article outlines the four key components of a self-care program for patients to manage the low back pain and other symptoms of degenerative disc disease and avoid surgery. Read more...
By: J. Talbot Sellers, DO

Sciatica exercises
January 3, 2007
Exercise and gentle stretching are usually better for healing sciatic pain than bed rest, and a physical therapist or other spine specialist often recommends exercise as a treatment option for the low back pain and leg pain associated with sciatica. This article provides helpful illustrations and explanations of key strengthening and stretching exercises to treat sciatica from a herniated disc, degenerative disc disease, spinal stenosis and other back problems. Read more...
By: Ron S. Miller, PT

Exercise for sciatica from degenerative disc disease
January 3, 2007
One form of sciatica may be caused by degenerative disc disease and can typically be treated by exercise. Alleviating sciatica pain includes back exercises that train the body to maintain the most comfortable position for the lumbar spine and pelvis during activities. Read more...
By: Ron S. Miller, PT

Exercise for sciatica from a herniated disc
January 3, 2007
Herniated discs commonly involve disk material protruding backwards and irritating or compressing a nerve root, which in turn causes pain along the sciatic nerve. Exercises to treat sciatica pain are prescribed according to which positions will cause the symptoms to move up the lower extremity and into the low back. Read more...
By: Ron S. Miller, PT

Exercise for sciatica from isthmic spondylolisthesis
January 3, 2007
Sciatica resulting from isthmic spondylolisthesis is typically treated with a program that is a hybrid of the flexion based exercises and the stabilization program. The goal of this method of treating sciatica is to teach the lumbar spine to remain stable in a flexed position. Read more...
By: Ron S. Miller, PT

Exercise for sciatic pain from piriformis syndrome
January 3, 2007
Although piriformis syndrome and sciatica share many common symptoms, piriformis syndrome is not true sciatica. It is the piriformis muscle itself that irritates the sciatic nerve and causes pain. Stretching exercises explained in this article can help patients relieve the sciatica-like symptoms of piriformis syndrome. Read more...
By: Ron S. Miller, PT

Exercise for sciatic pain from sacroiliac joint dysfunction
January 3, 2007
Sacroiliac joint dysfunction is often confused with sciatica because it irritates the sciatic nerve and causes sciatica-like symptoms. Although it is not considered true sciatica, pain from sacroiliac joint dysfunction can be relieved with gentle stretching exercises. Read more...
By: Ron S. Miller, PT

Hamstring stretching exercises for sciatica
January 3, 2007
Tightness in the hamstrings will place increased stress on the low back, aggravating or even causing low back pain and sciatica. These hamstring stretching exercises can help relieve some of the painful symptoms of sciatica. Read more...
By: Ron S. Miller, PT

Exercise for sciatica from spinal stenosis
January 3, 2007
Alleviating the pain caused by sciatica with spinal stenosis is accomplished by stretching the muscles of the back that hold the spine in extension and strengthening the muscles that bring the spine into flexion. Read more...
By: Ron S. Miller, PT

The truth about sciatica
January 4, 2005
Contrary to what patients may believe, sciatica is not a diagnosis but instead is a term used to describe a set of symptoms caused by a nerve compression in the low back. Many low back conditions can cause sciatica, and a correct diagnosis of the low back problem is necessary in order to decide on the best course of treatment. This article explains the truth about sciatica and explains the treatment options to help relieve sciatic pain. Read more...
By: Peter J. Schubbe, DC

Sciatica first aid
May 24, 2004
When sciatica flares up, it is helpful to know a range of options that can be tried to help alleviate the discomfort and pain along the sciatic nerve and stay active. Sciatica treatment options include heat therapy, ice massage therapy, back pain medications, and back exercise. Read more...
By: Randall Schultz, MD

Sciatica and the sciatic nerve
June 17, 2003
Sciatica pain can result when the nerve roots in the lower spine are irritated or compressed. The sciatica symptoms one feels (back pain, leg pain, numbness, etc) tend to be different depending on where the pressure on the nerve occurs. Sciatica is one of the most common forms of pain caused by compression of the spinal nerves, and the leg pain often feels much worse than the back pain. Read more...
By: Steven G. Yeomans, DC, FACO

Multi-specialty case review: sciatica
May 1, 2001
Physicians from three different specialties (a surgeon, a chiropractor and a physiatrist) and review and comment on a patient's case with sciatica and recommend a course of treatment for the sciatica pain.  Read the case...
By: Peter F. Ullrich, Jr. MD, Rodney K. Lefter, DC, CSCS, Richard A. Staehler, MD

Piriformis syndrome - another irritation to the sciatic nerve
April 8, 2000
Get the details on piriformis syndrome. Learn what it is, how it's diagnosed, and treatment options for piriformis syndrome.  Many health professionals believe that an accurate diagnosis and comprehensive management are critical to alleviate the sciatica type of pain.  Read more...
By: John Revord, MD

Comprehensive management of piriformis syndrome and sciatica pain
April 8, 2000
Depending on the severity of pain and sciatica symptoms from piriformis syndrome, a number of treatment options may be recommended. A comprehensive approach to treat piriformis syndrome may include a combination of stretching exercise, ice therapy and heat therapy, physical therapy and exercise, medications, injections, and electrotherapy. Read more...
By: John Revord, MD

Overview of spinal cord and nerve roots
September 8, 1999 (updated March 29, 2000)
The spinal cord comes off the base of the brain, runs throughout the cervical and thoracic spine, and ends at the lower part of the thoracic spine. Read more...
By: Peter F. Ullrich, Jr., MD

Sciatica - The doctor is in!
This section features explanations, insights and advice about sciatica and the sciatic nerve – including diagnosing the source of the sciatic pain - provided by Peter F. Ullrich, Jr., M.D., an orthopedic spine surgeon and Medical Director for Spine-health.com.  Read more…

Sciatica treatments - The doctor is in!
Treating sciatica and sciatic pain is often confusing for patients, and we often receive e-mail questions from patients. In this section of the site, Peter F. Ullrich, Jr., M.D., an orthopedic spine surgeon and Medical Director for Spine-health.com answers patients’ common questions about sciatica treatment options.  Read more…

Back-to-Back: Using back exercise for back pain relief
Read other patients’ helpful advice about using back exercise (such as walking, an exercise bike, water therapy, physical therapy and yoga) for back pain relief from sciatica and other conditions. Then, submit your own response!  Read more...

Is my pain sciatica or something else? - Spine-health.com Newsletter
Sciatica is a very common form of low back pain and leg pain that is often misunderstood by patients who may try to self-diagnose and self-treat the wrong cause of their sciatica. This newsletter uncovers common sciatica myths and provides guidelines for treating low back pain and leg pain from sciatica. Read more...

First aid for your back - Spine-health.com Newsletter
Even if the pain is severe, episodes of back pain - and pain from ongoing back conditions like sciatica - can be somewhat relieved with some first aid methods you can do at home. Some combination of the following treatments (for example, heat therapy, ice therapy, gentle stretching and exercise) is usually recommended to help alleviate or at least manage the back pain from sciatica and other conditions. Read more...

Essential exercise for back pain relief - Spine-health.com Newsletter
The natural stimulus for the healing process is active exercise, which means exercise in a controlled, gradual, and progressive manner. In this newsletter we discuss why exercise is important and give information about gentle exercises for recovery and prevention of future back pain from sciatica and other back conditions. Read more...

Please note that these additional patient resources (such as The Back-to-Back Forum and Newsletters) on Spine-health.com are not peer-reviewed by the Spine-health.com Medical Advisory Board. They are provided as additional resources for patients to learn from the experiences of others and to gain information from our popular newsletters.