| Back pain may be triggered by various problems that occur along the ridge of bone and disc. The spinal canal itself can become narrowed, a disorder called spinal stenosis. If this occurs, the nerve roots passing between the discs and facets (small, smooth surfaces on a bone) may be stretched or pinched, causing pain, usually the pain known as sciatica.
The nerve most likely to cause trouble is the sciatic nerve; up to 40 percent of people experience pain caused by compression of this nerve at some time. Sciatica usually occurs on one side when a sciatic nerve has been stretched or pinched, usually by a herniated disc, although spinal stenosis or other vertebral abnormalities can also cause this pain. Some people experience sharp pain in one part of the leg or hip and numbness in other parts. The pain increases after prolonged standing or sitting and is aggravated by sneezing, coughing or laughing. If spinal stenosis is causing sciatica, patients may also experience it after bending backwards or walking more than 50 to 100 yards.
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What is Stroke?
What is Sciatica?
