Sciatica

If pain shoots down from your lower back, through your bottom, and into your leg, the culprit may be your sciatic nerve. A herniated disk, bone spur, or some other spine problem can put pressure on it. Doctors call this sciatica. It usually affects only one side of your body. Hot packs, cold packs, stretching, and painkillers can help you feel better, but you may need a doctor to fix the cause.

How is sciatica diagnosed?

A thorough medical history, including evaluation of your symptoms and a clinical examination, can help the doctor to diagnose sciatica and determine its cause.

Other diagnostic tests which may be done to evaluate your symptoms include Many people have herniated disks or bone spurs that will show up on X-rays and other imaging tests but have no symptoms.