Sciatica is a common term used to describe pain which initiates in the low back and extends into the back side of the lower extremity, often all the way to the foot. It is usually attributed to pressure or irritation of the sciatic nerve in the low back region. In more severe cases it can even progress to numbness and muscle weakness of the lower extremity.
Although there is a tendency to refer to any painful conditions which radiates down the back side of the lower extremity as sciatica, there are many other situations that may cause similar symptoms. For example, a dysfunction a joint, called the sacroiliac joint, can often be mistaken as sciatica. However, regardless of the underlying cause, restoring proper function and positioning in the low back region is necessary to relieve stress from the sciatic nerve or any other structures that may be involved.
My Dr diagnosed my condition as Piriformis. Syndrome. I had an MRI and it showed some arthritis and nothing else. I have had a steroid injection and it relieved the pain by 50% for 2 days. Of course it especially painful to sit. I am 83 and otherwise pretty healthy. Any help for me.