The human spinal column is made up of many different vertebrae, or back bones. Between each back bone exits a spinal nerve, which sends nerve signals and receives nerve signals throughout the body. At times, the spinal nerves can be compressed, or pinched, which can result in significant symptoms. This condition is termed sciatica and is caused by piriformis syndrome, a herniated disc, degenerative disc disease, spinal stenosis, a pelvic injury or fracture, or tumors, states MedlinePlus, of the National Institutes of Health. A patient with sciatica should understand the symptoms and know when to seek medical treatment.
Pain
According to MedlinePlus, pain is a symptom associated with L5-S1 pinched nerves. Pain may feel like a dull ache, a burn or a tingling sensation, and generally starts in the lower back and shoots down the back of one or both legs. Furthermore, pain can range from mild to severe. MedlinePlus explains that in most cases, pain worsens when standing or sitting or at night, and pain can be worse with sneezing, coughing or laughing or when bending or walking a few yards. Thus, a patient experiencing pain from an L5-S1 pinched nerve may have significant difficulty completing functions throughout the day. In this case, a patient should not hesitate to seek the proper medical treatment from a physician.
Numbness and Tingling
The patient with an L5-S1 pinched nerve may experience numbness or tingling in one or both legs. This occurs because the pinched nerve may send an irregular sensory signal to the brain, which is sensed as numbness or tingling. This symptom is generally described as a sensation of pins and needles that starts in the back or shoots down the leg and into the foot. In the case of numbness, a patient may not be able to feel light touch or pressure depending on the severity of the L5-S1 pinched nerve. Numbness is concerning because a patient may not be able to sense noxious stimuli, which can cause further complications. Therefore, a patient should not hesitate to seek medical treatment for this symptom.
Weakness
In more severe cases of L5-S1 nerve impingement, a patient may experience weakness in one or both legs. This occurs because the motor part of the nerve root may be compressed, which can result in a decreased motor signal being sent to the muscles in the legs or in the feet. This can be severely debilitating for a patient because he may not be able to walk or stand as he was able to before the L5-S1 pinched nerve occurred. Furthermore, immediate treatment can help reverse mild-to-moderate weakness and can prevent worsening leg weakness in the future. Once a patient experiences leg weakness, she may need surgery to relieve the L5-S1 nerve root compression. After surgery, a patient may need to participate in regular sessions of physical therapy in order to regain muscle strength. Therefore, it is important for a patient to seek treatment for L5-S1 pinched nerve symptoms.
