Ep 111 Sciatica and Low Back Pain with Faaiz

  On this episode, Faaiz Siddiqui, a premed intern, discusses a case of sciatica with Dr. Emran.  Sciatica is an extremely painful lower back condition. The sciatic nerve is 1 of the largest nerves in the human body. There is a left and a right sciatic nerve. It begins just above the tailbone and travels across the back of the leg all the way down to the feet. People who experience sciatica can have numbness, tingling, severe pain, and difficulty with simple activities including sitting, walking, and sleeping.  Some people will have flareups of sciatica due to heavy lifting or working out. Other people may develop it over time due to issues with their spinal bones or obesity. Sciatica flareups can last for several weeks before resolving. Often, many patients require physical therapy, steroids, muscle relaxers, or pain medication to ease the discomfort. If you have any symptoms of sciatica, see your doctor right away. References: https://www.health.harvard.edu/pain/sciatica-of-all-the-nerve