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The disc is a shock absorbing structure in between each of the vertebrae in your spine. A disc herniation is when the middle of the disc (nucleus pulposus) goes through a weak area in the outer part of the disc (annulus fibrosis). This herniation of the disc can cause irritation (mechanical and/or chemical) to nearby nerves causing numbness, tingling, pain or weakness in your back, leg or foot.
The sciatic nerve is a large nerve that runs down the back of the leg and supplies the lower extremity with sensory and motor control. Sciatica is often a catch-all term for the condition of having pain down the back of the leg. There are many causes of sciatica from minor muscle spasms to serious conditions that require immediate surgical referral. If you have shooting leg pain, be sure to come in and get it evaluated.
The facet joints are the small joints on the back of each veterbrae. Normally the joints help guide movement, but the capsule surrounding them can become pinched between their two surfaces. This causes a sharp area of pain which can feel as if it spreads several inches from the joint. This condition hurts with extreme movement, most often into extension.