SCIATICA

Question:

Hello Dr. Veliz:

I was hoping that you could clarify something for me. My family physician told me that I had sciatica. On my way out of the office, I ran into his physician’s assistant who said that, actually, my S1 nerve root was being pinched. Can you please clarify why the physician’s assistant stated that my S1nerve root was being pinched and not my sciatic nerve, especially if my physician says I have sciatica?

Answer:

The sciatic nerve is formed by the nerve roots coming out of the spinal cord into the lower back. These branches of the sciatic nerve travel through the buttocks and down the back of each leg to the ankle and the foot. The definition of sciatica is numbness, tingling, or pain produced by inflammation of the nerve roots which eventually lead to the sciatic nerve. Your physician’s assistant was being more specific when he told you that your S1 nerve was being pinched. This is still consistent with the diagnosis of sciatica since the S1 nerve eventually leads to the sciatic nerve.

Best of luck.