Sciatica can turn ordinary movement into a negotiation. Sitting too long feels sharp. Standing up feels risky. A short walk may help one day and flare symptoms the next. Sciatica is not a diagnosis by itself. It describes pain, tingling, numbness, or weakness that follows the path of the sciatic nerve, often from the low back into the buttock, hip, back of the leg, or foot. Common causes include a herniated disc, spinal narrowing, muscle irritation, pregnancy-related pressure