![]() ![]() ![]() Unfortunately, many patients expect an x-ray or MRI, and doctors, often facing time constraints, order one even though we know imaging tests don’t really help us treat early sciatica any better. ![]() The key to diagnosing sciatica is a thorough history and a focused exam. Sciatica is most common in people 30 to 50. If the outer rim of the disc tears, usually due to routine pressure on the lower back, the jelly-like inner material can come out and pinch or inflame the nearby nerve. ![]() Discs are tire-like structures that sit between the bones of the spine. The most common cause is a bulging ("herniated") disc in the lower back. The pain of sciatica typically radiates down one side from the lower back into the leg, often below the knee. Sciatica refers to pain caused by the sciatic nerve that carries messages from the brain down the spinal cord to the legs. When a person’s symptoms don’t improve, I discuss the role of surgery or an injection to speed things up. My job is to help manage the pain while the body does its job. Primary care doctors can and should manage sciatica, because for most individuals the body can fix the problem. Despite being a less common cause of low back pain, sciatica is still something I regularly see as a general internist. ![]()
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