A Sciatica Diagnosis Can Help to Discover What is Pressing on the Sciatic Nerve

Sciatica is not a cause, it is an effect. More specifically, sciatica is the effect, or set of symptoms, that you experience when your sciatic nerve is being inflamed or compressed in your lower spinal column.

As with all cause-effect relationships, there must be a cause for your sciatica effect. Receiving a sciatica diagnosis from your doctor is the only real way to determine if the symptoms you are experiencing can be said to be sciatica, as well as determine the specific core cause of your sciatic nerve compression.

Doing Some Investigative Work at Home Yourself

If you are experiencing pain or stiffness in your lower back, or pain, numbness, tingling, muscle weakness, or muscle spasms in your lower back, buttocks, back of the thighs, calves, or feet, you can certainly tell. You have probably wondered where these symptoms are coming from and even ventured to the Internet, looking for answers, and possibly even given yourself a sciatica diagnosis. While there is no harm in doing investigative work on your own, if you believe you have sciatica, visiting your doctor is a must.

A Visit to Your Doctor for a Sciatica Diagnosis

When you visit your doctor to receive a sciatica diagnosis, he or she will ask you about your medical history if it’s not already on file, ask you about your symptoms, perform physical and neurological exams, and possibly send you for imaging tests of your lower back. The more information you can provide your doctor with when asked about your symptoms, the better. Be sure to explain to your doctor the symptoms you have been experiencing in their entirety and how long you have been experiencing them. During the physical exam, your doctor will test your basic physical abilities and motor skills, taking note of anything out of the ordinary. During the neurological exam, your doctor will record your body’s ability, or lack thereof, to respond to different stimuli. At this point, your doctor will probably have a strong notion of what is causing your pain, but may wish to take an X-ray, MRI, or CT scan of your lower back to see the composition of your spine and confirm the diagnosis. After you have been given a sciatica diagnosis, your doctor probably will recommend a few conservative treatment options for you to incorporate, such as muscle relaxants, anti-inflammatory medication, gentle stretching techniques, physical therapy, and epidural steroid injections.