If you have ever experienced a sudden sharp pain in your lower back, your first instinct might have been to Google your symptoms. Unfortunately, a quick internet search probably pointed you to a condition known as sciatica. Was it really the cause of your pain? Maybe, but maybe not.
I have been writing about chronic pain and sciatica for years. It has always been my understanding that chronic low back pain and sciatica are two different animals. Some causes of low back pain are sciatica-related, but low back pain has so many other causes.
Something I have noticed in recent years is backed up by a post I just finished reading. Published on the Popular Mechanics website (yeah, really), the post made it clear that sciatica has become a catch-all term to cover all sorts of undiagnosed back pain. Yet sciatica is a very specific condition.
Why Patients Shouldn’t Just Assume
Sciatica is common enough that the pain medicine specialists at Texas-based Lone Star Pain Medicine are very familiar with it. Lone Star doctors say patients should not just assume sciatica, however. Anyone experiencing persistent back pain should see a doctor as soon as possible. Assuming sciatica could lead to other problems later on.
Sciatic pain has its root in the sciatic nerve. This nerve is the single largest nerve in the human body. It exits the lower spine before traveling down through the buttocks, the back of the thighs, and into the lower legs and feet. If this nerve is compressed along any part of its length, sciatic pain is felt.
Because the nerve is so long, genuine sciatic pain is rarely isolated in the back. Pain travels down the nerve and into at least one of the legs. In some cases, both legs are affected. But that’s not all.
Sciatic pain is often described as being sharp and shooting. Some patients describe an electrical sensation that begins radiating down one side of the body. Genuine sciatica is often exacerbated by:
- A tingling or deep burning feeling that gets much worse after sitting for long periods of time.
- Physical weakness in the affected leg or foot. Some patients have trouble lifting their toes off the ground as well.
- Pain that surprisingly gets less intense after taking a gentle walk. It tends to flare up again if a patient bends forward.
A pain medicine doctor looking at sciatica will ask very specific questions. On the other hand, a GP may not question a patient’s symptoms with the same level of detail. This can lead to confusion and misdiagnosis.
No Shortage of Impostors
Unfortunately, there is no shortage of conditions that mimic sciatica to some degree. These impostors can make patients and their GPs think that sciatica is the culprit when it really is not. One of the most well-known impostors is a condition known as piriformis syndrome.
Lone Star describes piriformis syndrome as a condition in which a small muscle located deep in the buttocks becomes inflamed. The muscle is located quite close to the sciatic nerve, thereby mimicking the pain that sciatica patients would normally experience. But because the muscle is the problem rather than the nerve, it requires a different treatment.
The Right Diagnosis Matters
The root cause of a patient’s back pain matters. Getting the diagnosis right allows a doctor to recommend the most appropriate treatment. Getting it wrong could mean weeks or months of ineffective treatment that only leaves the patient frustrated.
Is your low back pain being caused by sciatica? Maybe, but maybe not. Don’t just assume. Go see a doctor and get it taken care of.