Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSymptomsCausesTreatmentPrevention
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Symptoms
Causes
Treatment
Prevention
Lumbagowithsciaticarefers to lower back pain that radiates down into the legs and feet. “Lumbago” is a term healthcare providers once commonly used to describe lower back pain, and sciatica is the accompanying pain shooting down your legs from irritation of thesciatic nerve.When both symptoms occur together, it can be especially debilitating.
Fortunately, when lumbago with sciatica strikes suddenly, there are some basic steps you can take at home to help speed your recovery, from stretching to taking over-the-counter pain relievers.
This article discusses more about lumbago with sciatica, including causes and treatment options.
If you are having neurological symptoms like leg weakness or loss of bowel or bladder control in addition to lumbar with sciatica pain, go to your healthcare provider or emergency room immediately. These symptoms may be a sign of a serious problem that requires medical care right away.
Symptoms of Lumbago With Sciatica
Most people who experience lumbar with sciatica feel symptoms on one side, but it’s possible to have symptoms on both sides. The hallmark symptom is pain that feels like it’s sharp or shooting down the leg. The pain can extend from the lower back to the butt and thigh and down to the toes. You may also feel a mild burning or tingling sensation.
These symptoms may get worse under the following conditions:
Lumbar with sciatica occurs due to sciatic nerve damage or compression. The sciatic nerve runs from the lower back down to the toes, controlling muscles and providing sensation to the back of the leg.
Aherniated disk or bulging diskis often the cause of lumbar with sciatica. This happens when a part of a disk’s jellylike center (nucleus) pushes through its tougher exterior (annulus), pushing on the sciatic nerve. Risk factors for a herniated or bulging disk include:
Less common causes of lumbar with sciatica include:
Treating Lumbago With Sciatica
In the meantime, you can speed up recovery with some at-home strategies. If symptoms persist after a few days or if they are severe or get worse, it’s best to contact a healthcare provider.
At-home Care
Taking over-the-counter pain relievers such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen (Tylenol) can ease symptoms. So can icing the painful areas for a few days before switching to heat. Experts generally recommend icing for 15 to 20 minutes several times a day. Take at least a 15 to 20 minute break in between each icing session.
It may hurt to move, but healthcare providers do not recommend staying in bed while experiencing lumbago with sciatica. Instead, light movement and stretching can help strengthen your back and keep your spine healthy.
Here are somestretchesthat can help. If the pain moves away from your spine and worsens in your thigh or leg while doing these stretches, change positions right away.
David Lees/ Getty Images
Press-up exercise:This exercise is great for restoring the normallordosis, or forward curve, in your low back.
Supine hamstring stretch:This is one of many hamstring stretches that can be useful for activating the lower back muscles andhamstring muscle.
Walking can actually improvesciatica pain, so it may help to push through. To reduce pain, go slow, shorten your stride, and try to put your foot down between the middle of your foot and your heel.
In-office Treatment
If exercises aren’t helping, your healthcare provider may recommend:
While sometimes you can’t prevent low back pain and associated sciatica, such as in the case of an injury, there are routine measures you can take to keep your spine healthy:
neyro2008/Getty Images
Summary
Lumbago with sciatica refers to low back pain that shoots down your legs, sometimes even going all the way to the toes. When it comes on, you may not be able to move, sit, stand, or work as well as you normally do.
Press up With Hips Off-Center
4 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.MedlinePlus.Sciatica.Penn Medicine.Sciatica.Bailey, C. S., Rasoulinejad, P., Taylor, D., Sequeira, K., Miller, T., Watson, J., Rosedale, R., Bailey, S. I., Gurr, K. R., Siddiqi, F., Glennie, A., & Urquhart, J. C. (2020).Surgery versus conservative care for persistent sciatica lasting 4 to 12 months.New England Journal of Medicine,382(12), 1093–1102. https://doi.org/10.1056/nejmoa1912658Cornell Health.Low back pain.Additional ReadingMcKenzie, Robin, and Barry Graves.Treat Your Own Back. Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind.
4 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.MedlinePlus.Sciatica.Penn Medicine.Sciatica.Bailey, C. S., Rasoulinejad, P., Taylor, D., Sequeira, K., Miller, T., Watson, J., Rosedale, R., Bailey, S. I., Gurr, K. R., Siddiqi, F., Glennie, A., & Urquhart, J. C. (2020).Surgery versus conservative care for persistent sciatica lasting 4 to 12 months.New England Journal of Medicine,382(12), 1093–1102. https://doi.org/10.1056/nejmoa1912658Cornell Health.Low back pain.Additional ReadingMcKenzie, Robin, and Barry Graves.Treat Your Own Back. Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
MedlinePlus.Sciatica.Penn Medicine.Sciatica.Bailey, C. S., Rasoulinejad, P., Taylor, D., Sequeira, K., Miller, T., Watson, J., Rosedale, R., Bailey, S. I., Gurr, K. R., Siddiqi, F., Glennie, A., & Urquhart, J. C. (2020).Surgery versus conservative care for persistent sciatica lasting 4 to 12 months.New England Journal of Medicine,382(12), 1093–1102. https://doi.org/10.1056/nejmoa1912658Cornell Health.Low back pain.
MedlinePlus.Sciatica.
Penn Medicine.Sciatica.
Bailey, C. S., Rasoulinejad, P., Taylor, D., Sequeira, K., Miller, T., Watson, J., Rosedale, R., Bailey, S. I., Gurr, K. R., Siddiqi, F., Glennie, A., & Urquhart, J. C. (2020).Surgery versus conservative care for persistent sciatica lasting 4 to 12 months.New England Journal of Medicine,382(12), 1093–1102. https://doi.org/10.1056/nejmoa1912658
Cornell Health.Low back pain.
McKenzie, Robin, and Barry Graves.Treat Your Own Back. Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind.
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