How do I know if I have a problem with my sciatic nerve?

Question

I am getting a pain on my left side. Starts around my hip and down to my toes.

My toes tingle every once in awhile and I can't sleep on my left side.. or sit too long.

Is this from the sciatic nerve you think?

Answer 1

I have this same problem, only on the left side. Your pain is very likely from your sciatic nerve. Mine has lasted for two years now but usually the pain goes away in about six weeks, so I am praying that is what will happen to you.

The sciatic nerve, the longest in your body, runs from your pelvis through your buttock and hip area and down the back of each leg. It controls many of the muscles in your lower legs and provides feeling to your thighs, legs and feet. The term "sciatica" refers to pain that radiates along the path of this nerve — from your back into your buttock and leg.

Sciatica isn't a disorder in and of itself. Instead, it's a symptom of another problem involving the nerve, such as a herniated disk. In my case, the problem is spinal stenosis, a narrowing of the spinal canal that is getting increasingly worse.

Heat and cold applications, over-the-counter pain relievers, and exercise or physical therapy can help ease your pain. Surgery to relieve pressure on the nerve may be an option if your symptoms don't respond to conservative treatment and pain is chronic or disabling, although not all problems are operable.

Your primary care physician can make a diagnosis. I would counsel you not to see a chiropractor, who according to my doctor cannot improve this condition and may make it worse.

Good luck!

s

Answer 2

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
How do I know if I have a problem with my sciatic nerve?
I am getting a pain on my left side. Starts around my hip and down to my toes.

My toes tingle every once in awhile and I can't sleep on my left side.. or sit too long.

Is this from the sciatic nerve you think?

Answer 3

Hurts doesn't it? I have it across the top of my bum and it runs down the back of my legs but only to the knee. Seems that it is the sciatic nerve, confirmed by a consultant.

I have been looking into nerves lately as my partner has numbness on one side of her face, after an MRI scan it was proved to be two acoustic neuroma's or a meningioma's, fortunately benign but is causing pressure as they grow albeit slowly, between the scull and the brain, She has in the past 4 years lost the sight in one eye from the same problem. Now it looks like her hearing on one side.

Back to the sciatic nerve, mine is quite bad at the moment, but in a month or two it may just go without you even realising it. I think it has happened five or six times with me, and lasted perhaps 3/4 months. But you certainly know when it comes. Not being in the position to pay out to be poked around, I look forward to my hot under blanket every night.

Answer 4

Sounds very much like the sciatic nerve. You need to book an appointment with a chiropractor right away. S/He can adjust your spine to relieve pressure on the nerve that's causing all this pain and discomfort. It might feel uncomfortable at first, but once the spine is aligned properly, your back should feel better and the pain in your leg should subside.

Answer 5

Probably. Typically sciatica goes down the back of the leg. If it's the front then it's the femoral nerve - but the treatment that I would suggest amounts to the same. Nerve tingling,and loss of sensation can be a more serious symptoms than pain - but yours is intermittent so does not sound as serious as it might be.
Your best bet for safe gentle effective treatment is a McTimoney Chiropractor and you can find one at;
www.mctimoney-chiropractic.org

Answer 6

Sounds like the sciatic nerve to me. I have that problem every once in a while. A chiropractor told my husband not to put his wallet in his back pocket because when you sit down it puts pressure on the sciatic nerve and since he quit doing that it doesn' t bother HIM anymore.

The sciatic nerve can cause pain or numbness in both legs also.

Answer 7

Your pain is likely coming from your back. I would guess your L4/L5 disk.

I have numbness in my right two toes, the bottom of my foot, back of the heel and calf. This is caused by a bulging disk that is compressing the S1 nerve. This was diagnosed with an MRI.

I know someone else who has pain in the butt, hip, knee and ankle. This was caused by a herniated disk at L4/L5.

The good news is that both of us have managed without surgery and through exercises.

Attached is some information about back pain and nerve mappings to help you trace the affected nerve. The best way to diagnose this is to have an MRI. A drug that I would recommend you talk to your doctor about is prednasone. We both took a 10 day supply and it seemed to help the disk swelling.

Good luck and hope everything works out.

Answer 8

Signs and symptoms
Pain that radiates from your lower (lumbar) spine to your buttock and down the back of your leg is the hallmark of sciatica. You may feel the discomfort almost anywhere along the nerve pathway, but it's especially likely to follow a path from your low back to your buttock and the back of your thigh and calf.
The pain can vary widely, from a mild ache to a sharp, burning sensation or excruciating discomfort. Sometimes it may feel like a jolt or electric shock. Sciatic pain often starts gradually and intensifies over time. It may be worse when you cough or sneeze, and prolonged sitting or walking can also aggravate symptoms. Usually only one lower extremity is affected.
In addition to pain, you may also experience:
Numbness or muscle weakness along the nerve pathway in your leg or foot. In some cases, you may have pain in one part of your leg and numbness in another.
Tingling or a pins-and-needles feeling, most commonly in your toes or part of your foot.
A loss of bladder or bowel control. This is a sign of cauda equina syndrome, a rare but serious condition that requires emergency care. If you experience either of these symptoms, seek medical help immediately.
SEE YOUR DOCTOR!!

Answer 9

It could be a trapped nerve but it sounds like sciatica. I get it now and again. the nerve runs down the back of your leg right into your middle toe. Mine often gets right to the toe and it stands up on end. it is sooo painful and massaging seems to be the only thing I can do to ease it. I don't often have problems all the way down my leg just either in my hip or my foot on right side or just my hip on the left! get down to the docs and get it confirmed then you can treat it accordingly.Good luck.

Answer 10

It may be a symptom of sciatica or a pain from "pinched" sciatic nerve.It is a common cause of pain due to a compressed spinal nerve, namely L5 or S1. This is caused by a heriniated intervertebral disc, degenerative disc changes, or an irritated nerve root.

Since you have some sort of tingling, you may need to seek care of a health care professional for further evaluation. He/She may do an MRI.