Sciatica 

According to the American Medical Assocaition:

Sciatica is the term for low back pain that radiates into the buttock, hip, 

and down one leg to the foot. The pain often is associated with tingling, 

numbness, or weakness of the leg. It may be sudden in onset and can 

persist for days or weeks. Sciatica can be caused by a number of conditions  

that lead to compression or irritation of nerves as they exit the spinal canal

(space through which the spinal cord travels) in the region of the lower back 

where they come together to form the sciatic nerves at the end of the spinal 

column. People who get sciatica are usually between the ages of 30 and 50 years. 

Approximately 80% to 90% of people with sciatica recover over time without 

any surgical intervention. The July 8, 2009, issue of JAMA includes an article 

about surgical treatment for sciatica caused by a herniated disk.

Cause:

The most common cause of sciatica occurs when the gel-like center of the disk between the vertebrae (bones that make up the spine) protrudes into or through the disk’s outer lining. This is called a herniated disk, which leads to compression of individual nerves in the lower back where they branch off from the spinal cord or to compression of the sciatic nerve itself. Other causes include: