Sciatica and Nausea

Sciatica is a set of symptoms caused by excess pressure on the sciatic nerve in your lower back or buttocks. It can also be the result of damage to the nerve roots that feed into the sciatic nerve.

Note: Nausea is not a very common symptom of mild sciatica

Sciatica and nausea usually occur together when a patient ingests excessive amounts of painkillers and other over-the-counter medications. In some instances, the patient’s digestive system may be extra sensitive to drugs, leading to nausea and other GI complications.

Sciatica and nausea are also occasionally seen during pregnancy. If a person already suffers from dizziness and nausea, sciatic pain or perhaps the medications used to treat it can make these symptoms worse.

Sciatica is the result when postural dysfunctions created by muscle imbalances exert uneven pressure on your spine, damaging one or more of the spinal discs that separate your vertebrae. This can also happen because of injury or aging.

An “extruded” or “herniated” disc may compress or inflame a nerve root, or even injure it. Alternatively, bone spurs or bits of protruding bone may press on nearby nerve roots and damage them. Older people sometimes develop a condition called spinal stenosis, in which the space around the spinal cord narrows and squeezes the sciatic nerve.

Typical symptoms of sciatica include radiating pain through the buttock and down the back of the leg, usually on only one side of your body. Sciatic pain can be extremely variable and may include a feeling of numbness and tingling in parts of the affected leg.

The most commonly prescribed medications for treatment of back and sciatic pain are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, also known as NSAIDS. These medications offer effective short-term relief, but their benefits for chronic back pain are less clear.

Their use is often associated with risk of side-effects. Sciatica and nausea are seen with NSAID use, especially over the long term. This risk is determined by the type of NSAID being used, age, other medical conditions, and other medications being taken simultaneously.

Based on extensive clinical studies, the most common side effects of NSAIDS include dizziness, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, heartburn, gas, constipation and diarrhea. In some instances, serious gastrointestinal problems can result, including perforation, gastric bleeding and ulcers.

Sciatica and nausea that occurs with standard drugs is a serious obstacle to short-term therapy.

If you know for certain that you are experiencing sciatica, visit the sciatica section of our website. There are more articles and videos about sciatica that you will find very helpful. In fact, there is one simple sciatica stretch video that has helped thousands of people get almost instant relief.

Sciatica Videos