Sciatica, which is pain in the hips or legs due to irritation of the sciatic nerve (the largest nerve in the body), can be very painful. It can become chronic and debilitating.
The most common cause of sciatica is a herniated or bulging disc in the low back (lumbar spine). Sciatica has a history of being difficult to treat and surgery is often the unfortunate outcome of a herniated disc diagnoses. But it doesn't have to be that way.