Sciatica is caused by pressure or damage to the sciatic nerve causing pain, weakness, numbness, or tingling that radiates along the path of the nerve. The sciatic nerve branches from your lower back through your hips and buttocks and down each leg, but typically, sciatica affects only one side of your body.

Sciatica most commonly occurs when a herniated disc or a bone spur on the spine compresses part of the nerve. This causes inflammation, pain and often some numbness in the affected leg. Although the pain associated with sciatica can be severe, most cases can be resolved with conservative treatment in a few weeks.