Sciatica is a painful and sometimes debilitating disorder which can occur anywhere from the lower back (lumbar region) and radiate down your leg to your feet. There are different reasons for sciatica and an accurate diagnosis of cause is essential to initiate the treatment process. The various reasons for sciatica could be a fall, an injury, a vehicular accident, pinched nerve problem, compression by piriformis muscle or a dysfunctional disc.
Following are some of the questions your physician may want answered:
1. When did the pain start?
2. Did you suffer an injury, fall or meet with an accident?
3. If yes, how did the pain develop?
4. Describe the pain, whether it is a burning sensation, tingling feeling, numbness anywhere, muscle ache or shooting pain and whether it is felt down the leg?
5. When is your pain worst? For instance, is it during some particular activity or is it when you wake up or when you are sitting for long periods?
6. On a scale of 1 to 10 where will you rate your pain?
7. Does walking uphill make it worse?
8. Does any bodily action like sneezing, coughing, bending aggravate your pain?
9. Have you taken any treatment so far? If yes, what is it?
10. What was the effect of the treatment? Any difference or no difference?
The physician will give you a thorough physical examination to evaluate your reflexes, test your range of movement, posture while sitting and standing and walking, check for muscle spasms and alignment of spine. He will also check your eye movement and test for intensity of pain where the complaint is?
The doctor may also ask you to do the following tests:
1 Lab tests such as urine culture and blood test.
2. X-ray of the spine.
3. MRI Scan of the back – This is magnetic resonance imaging which will show if there is any tumor or damage to disc or ligaments.
4. CT Scan- Computerized tomography which can identify spinal damage.
Usually an MRI or CT scan is taken because they are more effective in diagnosis than an X-ray. They can identify bulging discs and nerve compression. Besides this, in some cases the doctor may advice Discogram to identify a degenerated disc, Myelogram which can identify a narrowed spinal canal, or a Bone scan which can identify osteoporosis, vertebral fractures or infection.
These procedures are not simple but absolutely essential so that a correct and effective treatment plan could be followed.
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