Every now and again we all experience the odd aches and pains in our bodies. There can be a number of causes for these experiences. Generally we can over do something which can leave us with stiff muscles and aching limbs. This can be by exercise, lifting something too heavy for us amongst other things and other times we can just sleep funny, then there are times when we can sustain an injury which can leave us feeling like we have been run over by a bus. We all know our bodies and just how far we can push them but in some cases if we overdo it we can be left with lasting affects for the rest of our lives. When we are younger we all participate in things that we would never even consider doing if we were older. Our sense of fear develops over the years and we learn that things can hurt and have an affect more so when you are older.

This is a part of growing up. There is a condition which is a very common complaint and can affect many of us called sciatica. We all have a nerve within our bodies called the sciatic nerve; this is the biggest nerve that we have running through the body. This nerve goes from the bottom of your pelvis down past the buttocks and all the way through both of the legs to the feet. The sciatic nerve can become painful at times when something irritates it or puts pressure upon it. Not everyone will experience this but if this occurs you may experience a pain which goes all the way from the bottom of your back to your feet. In the worst cases of sciatica the pain can be very severe. Sciatica doesn’t have to cause a pain down the leg it can also be associated with muscle weakness, tingling, numbness and loss of tendon flexion. There are many causes that can lead to sciatica becoming apparent, generally these are things like a slipped disc in the back which can also be known as a herniated disc, a spinal stenosis, an infection, a growth or even an injury.

If you experience symptoms of what you think may be sciatica and they are fairly mild and do not exceed over approximately six weeks then more often than not medical attention is not required. However if the pain becomes unbearable it may be advisable to seek the attention from your doctor. If the symptoms of sciatica occur and last for more than six weeks again you should seek medical attention from a practitioner. The treatments for sciatica are relatively easy. Exercise is recommended along with painkillers and hot and cold compresses. Sciatica may affect a Critical Illness Insurance plan upon the application stage, however it itself is not classed as a critical illness so no claim would be payable upon diagnosis of this. In the most sever cases an operation may be needed to stop the individual experiencing pain and discomfort.