Sciatica is irritation of the sciatic nerve which results in pain, numbness and tingling. Sciatica pain is typically felt in the lower back radiating down the back of the thigh to below the knee. The pain may be felt as a cramp, as shooting pain down the leg or tingling in the leg or foot. Some patients report that the pain intensifies with coughing or sneezing, and bending the knees or squatting may also make it worse.

To better understand the condition, it is helpful to know a little bit about sciatica anatomy. The sciatic nerve is the largest nerve in your body, starting as five pairs of nerve roots in the lower or lumbar spine and extending through the buttocks and down to the lower leg. It lies near the sacrum (the bottom vertebrae), the back of the pelvis, the back of the thighs, behind the knee and smaller branch nerves travel all the way to your feet.