Many people feel that Sciatica is harmless, but many are not aware of the potentially debilitating complications of Sciatica.
- Muscle Weakness: The sciatic nerve which is compressed is called the PINCHED nerve, and if this 'pinching' continues for a long time, it leads to chronic muscle weakness and even muscle wasting.
- Foot Drop: As the name suggests, the foot literally 'drops'. This happens because of extreme weakness of the muscles present in the front portion of the lower leg and foot. It is one of the most extreme complications of Sciatica.
- Loss of Sensation: Because the sciatic nerve is also responsible for sensitivity to touch in the back portion of the buttocks and leg, a sciatic compression can lead to feelings of 'ants crawling all over the leg', and in severe cases, complete loss of sensation.
- Incontinence: Very bad cases of sciatic nerve compression can cause urinary and / or stool incontinence.
