Sciatica is a prevalent cause of pain that involves the sciatic nerve, a substantive nerve that runs from the lower back down to the backside of each leg. Sciatica commonly develops when the sciatic nerve is compressed. This compression can be triggered by a handful of conditions, including pregnancy, muscle spasms in the buttocks or back, degenerative disc disease, lumbar spinal stenosis, and spondylolisthesis.

Common symptoms of sciatica include pain in the lower back or hip, burning or tingling sensations that travel down the leg, constant pain in one buttock, and weakness or numbness that impairs the mobility of the foot or leg.