It’s perfectly natural to feel nervous or worried if you’re expecting to receive a sciatica diagnosis from your doctor, but you should keep in mind that knowing exactly what is causing your discomfort is the first step toward finding an effective treatment plan. You may also feel better about your diagnosis by asking your doctor plenty of questions – the more you know about something, the less intimidating it seems, and sciatica is no exception.

How Will My Doctor Arrive at a Sciatica Diagnosis?

If you have been experiencing persistent pain in your lower back, buttocks, hips, and legs, you may be suffering from sciatica, which is compression of the sciatic nerve or one of its nerve roots by an anatomical abnormality, such as a bulging disc, herniated disc, or spinal stenosis. However, only a doctor can confirm a sciatica diagnosis. While each doctor will have his or her own diagnostic process, you should be able to expect the following:

– Medical history – This includes both your family history and your personal medical history. If your parents or grandparents have suffered from sciatica, you may be genetically predisposed to the condition. As for your medical history, make sure to tell your doctor about any other health conditions you have, list all of the medications you’re taking, and report any injuries you’ve sustained recently.

– Review of symptoms – Report all of your symptoms to your doctor in as much detail as possible. Note the location, severity, and frequency of your symptoms and try to describe which activities exacerbate your pain. Also, tell your doctor about any at-home treatments you’ve tried, such as over-the-counter pain medication.

– Physical exam – The doctor will likely perform a physical exam during your consultation. He or she may check your spine for areas of inflammation or tenderness. You may also be asked to perform several movements so that the doctor can gauge problems with reflexes, range of motion, or flexibility.

Life after a Sciatica Diagnosis

If an initial consultation convinces the doctor that sciatica is the root of your lower back discomfort, medical imaging tests may be necessary to confirm a diagnosis. Your doctor will then prescribe a conservative treatment plan aimed at taking stress off the sciatic nerve. Possible treatments include non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, hot/cold compresses, physical therapy, and behavior modification. Most patients are able to find sufficient relief from a combination of these treatments, and only those individuals who are experiencing severe, debilitating sciatica or a medical emergency caused by nerve compression will ever need to consider the option of surgery.

If you are part of the small percentage of patients opting for elective surgical intervention after your sciatica diagnosis, it’s important that you carefully consider all of the benefits and risks associated with each procedure for which you may be a candidate. Performing your own detailed research can not only help you determine which procedure is right for you, but can also help prepare you mentally for the challenges of undergoing surgery and dealing with the recovery process.

Patrick Foote is the Director of eBusiness at Laser Spine Institute, the leader in endoscopic spine surgery. Laser Spine Institute specializes in safe and effective outpatient procedures for the treatment of sciatica and several other spinal conditions.

Patrick Foote is the Director of eBusiness at Laser Spine Institute, the leader in endoscopic spine surgery. Laser Spine Institute specializes in safe and effective outpatient procedures for sciatica and other conditions. http://www.laserspineinstitute.com/back_problems/sciatica_sciatic_nerve_pain/

Author Bio: Patrick Foote is the Director of eBusiness at Laser Spine Institute, the leader in endoscopic spine surgery. Laser Spine Institute specializes in safe and effective outpatient procedures for the treatment of sciatica and several other spinal conditions.

Category: Medicines and Remedies
Keywords: sciatica