Do I Have Sciatica?

Do you have moderate to severe pain that radiates from your lower back to your buttock and down the back of your leg?

Can you describe your pain as sharp, stabbing or burning pain, a jolt or electric shock?

Do you have the feeling of “pins and needles” in your leg with a painful tingling in your toe or feet?

Do you feel that the pain is more intense in your leg compared to your lower back?

Do you have numbness or muscle weakness in the affected leg or foot?

Do you have pain in one part of your leg and numbness in another part of the affected leg?

Does your pain feel worse if you sit or stand for long periods of time?

Does your pain get worse when you cough or sneeze or twist your upper body?

Does your pain interfere with your daily activities?

Are you overweight?

Do you do have a job that requires you to twist your back or carry heavy loads?

Do you have a sedentary lifestyle (you sit for prolonged periods at work and at home with no time for exercise)?

Do you have diabetes?

Do you have loss of feeling in the affected leg?

Have you experience incontinence (the inability to control your bladder or bowels)?

Based on your answers it is unlikely that you have sciatica.

Based on your answers there is a possibility that you have sciatica. Sciatica is a health condition characterized by pain caused by a damage or injury to your sciatic nerve. The pain spreads along the pathway of the sciatic nerve – from your lower back, through the hips and buttocks down to both legs. Sciatica usually affects only one side of your body. It is a common condition and it is estimated that about 40 percent of people will get sciatica at some point in their lives. The most common causes of sciatica are age-related changes in the spine. Treatment usually includes medication and physical therapy.

Based on your answers there is a high possibility that you have sciatica. Sciatica is a health condition which occurs when the sciatic nerve becomes pinched, compressed or damaged, causing the pain along the sciatic nerve pathway. The pain can range from mild to severe and usually affects one side of your body. Sciatica becomes more frequent with age. Most people fully recover from sciatica with medication and physical therapy but there are some severe cases of sciatica that will need surgery. There are a few useful tips for preventing sciatica: exercise regularly, maintain proper posture when you sit and avoid lifting and twisting simultaneously.