Sciatica

As the greatest weight and bending forces are experienced in the lower part of the lumbar spine, the nerves most often damaged are the fifth lumbar nerve root emerging out between the fourth and fifth lumbar vertebrae and the first sacral root which leaves the spine between the fifth lumbar vertebra and the sacrum. Pain arising because of damage to this nerve is known as Sciatica. This is a characteristic shooting pain that radiates from the lower back along the back of the thigh down to the outer or the inner side of the foot.

The exact site and line of trasnsmission of the pain helps the doctor to identify exactly which nerve has been damaged.

3. Spondylosis

i. What is Lumbar Spondylosis ?

Spondylosis, or wear and tear of the spine, is very common. Indeed, these changes are the normal aging changes that start around the age of about twenty five in all the mobile joints of the body. Most of us do not have pain all our life although natural slow aging changes of wear and tear do go on and on continuously. In almost all of us by the time we