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sciatica

File:Sciatic_nerve2.jpg · Wikimedia Commons · See Wikimedia Commons

EntityQ565276· pop 56· linked from 289 articles

Also known as sciatic neuralgia, Bilateral Sciatica, Neuralgia, Sciatic, Neuralgias, Sciatic, Bilateral Sciaticas, Sciatica, Bilateral, Sciatic Neuralgias

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Key facts

Medical condition (new).name
Sciatica
Medical condition (new).image
Sciatic nerve2.jpg
Medical condition (new).caption
Anterior view showing the sciatic nerve going down the right leg
Medical condition (new).field
Orthopedics, neurology
Medical condition (new).synonyms
Sciatic neuritis, sciatic neuralgia, lumbar radiculopathy, radicular leg pain
Medical condition (new).symptoms
Pain going down the leg from the lower back, weakness or numbness of the affected leg
Medical condition (new).complications
Loss of bowel or bladder control
Medical condition (new).onset
40s–50s
Medical condition (new).duration
90% of the time less than 6 weeks
Medical condition (new).causes
Spinal disc herniation, spondylolisthesis, spinal stenosis, piriformis syndrome, pelvic tumor
Medical condition (new).diagnosis
Straight-leg-raising test
Medical condition (new).differential
Shingles, diseases of the hip
Medical condition (new).treatment
Pain medications, surgery, physical rehabilitation
Medical condition (new).frequency
2–40% of people at some time

via Wikipedia infobox

Research

7,859 papers

via PubMed

~20 min read

Article

27 sections
Contents
  • Definition
  • Causes
  • Risk factors
  • Spinal disc herniation
  • Spinal stenosis
  • Piriformis syndrome
  • Deep gluteal syndrome
  • Endometriosis
  • Pregnancy
  • Other
  • Pathophysiology
  • Intraspinal sciatica
  • Extraspinal sciatica
  • Diagnosis
  • Physical tests
  • Medical imaging
  • Differential diagnosis
  • Management
  • Physical activity
  • Medication
  • Surgery
  • Alternative medicine
  • Prognosis
  • Epidemiology
  • See also
  • References
  • External links

Sciatica is pain going down the leg from the lower back. This pain may extend down the back, outside, or front of the leg. Onset is often sudden following activities such as heavy lifting, though gradual onset may also occur. The pain is often described as shooting. Typically, symptoms occur on only one side of the body; certain causes, however, may result in pain on both sides. Lower back pain is sometimes present. Weakness or numbness may occur in various parts of the affected leg and foot.

About 90% of sciatica is due to a spinal disc herniation pressing on one of the lumbar or sacral nerve roots. Spondylolisthesis, spinal stenosis, piriformis syndrome, pelvic tumors, and pregnancy are other possible causes of sciatica. The straight-leg-raising test is often helpful in diagnosis. The test is positive if, when the leg is raised while a person is lying on their back, pain shoots below the knee. In most cases medical imaging is not needed. However, imaging may be obtained if bowel or bladder function is affected, there is significant loss of feeling or weakness, symptoms are long standing, or there is a concern for tumor or infection. Conditions that can present similarly are diseases of the hip and infections such as early shingles (prior to rash formation).

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