Sciatica
Free Symptom Checker
with Physician-supervised AI
Reviewed By:
Kent C Doan, MD (Orthopedics)
Dr Doan Graduated from the University of Missouri Kansas City School of Medicine and completed residency training in Orthopedic Surgery at the University of Colorado. He completed additional fellowship training in Orthopedic Sports Medicine at the prestigious Steadman Clinic and Steadman Philippon Research Institute in Vail, Colorado. He is a practicing Orthopedic Surgeon who specializes in complex and revision knee and shoulder surgery at the Kansas City Orthopedic Institute. He also holds an assistant professorship at the University of Kansas City.
Tomohiro Hamahata, MD (Orthopedics)
Dr. Hamahata graduated from the Jikei University of Medical Science. After working at Asanokawa General Hospital and Kosei Chuo Hospital, he joined the Department of Orthopedics at Asakusa Hospital in April 2021, specializing in general orthopedics and joint replacement surgery.
Content updated on Nov 26, 2023
Following the Medical Content Editorial Policy
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Try one of these related symptoms.
Nerve pain in the leg
Back pain that shoots to the legs
Pain from buttock to thigh
Sciatica
How Ubie Can Help You
With a free 3-min Sciatica quiz, powered by Ubie's AI and doctors, find possible causes of your symptoms.
This questionnaire is customized to your situation and symptoms, including the following personal information:
Biological Sex - helps us provide relevant suggestions for male vs. female conditions.
Age - adjusts our guidance based on any age-related health factors.
History - considers past illnesses, surgeries, family history, and lifestyle choices.
Your symptoms
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Your report
Your personal report will tell you
✔ When to see a doctor
✔︎ What causes your symptoms
✔︎ Treatment information etc.
People with similar symptoms also use Ubie's symptom checker to find possible causes
- Pain from back to legs
- Sciatic nerve pain
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Developed by doctors.
Try Free Symptom QuizAbout the Symptom
Sciatica describes a painful sensation that starts from lower back and travels or shoots down the leg. This pain may travel down the back or outside of the leg and is often described as shooting. It refers to pain in the distribution of the sciatic nerve
When to See a Doctor
Seek professional care if you experience any of the following symptoms
- Abnormal sensation (tingling, prickling)
- Urinary frequency
- Muscle weakness in the limbs
- Numbness / sensory disorder
Possible Causes
Generally, Sciatica can be related to:
- Piriformis Syndrome
The sciatic nerve is responsible for muscle control and sensation of the leg. Sometimes, it can be compressed by the piriformis muscle in the buttocks. This can result in symptoms that are often similar to a slipped disc or nerve compression in the spine.
- Lumbar Vertebrae Disk Herniation
Also known as a slipped disc, this condition is characterized by injury to the cushioning discs between the spinal bones in the lower back (lumbar vertabrae) that causes the disc to bulge outward or rupture. The disc bulge puts pressure on adjacent nerves, which causes pain, leg weakness, or numbness. Poor posture, exercising with incorrect form, or occasionally benign non-lifting movement are some possible causes of this disorder.
- Ankylosing Spondylitis
Ankylosing spondylitis is an chronic inflammatory arthritis that affects the joints in your spine. Although the cause is unknown, certain genetic factors are believed to be involved.
- Spinal Cord Tumor
- Arteriosclerosis Obliterans
- Neuropathic Pain
- Spinal Canal Stenosis
Lumbar Spinal Stenosis
- Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)
- Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
Doctor's Diagnostic Questions
Your doctor may ask these questions to check for this symptom:
- Do you have pain or numbness in your buttocks, thighs, shins, or feet?
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Developed by doctors.
Try Free Symptom QuizFind Similar Symptoms
Symptoms from similar body parts
Symptoms treated by the same specialty
References
NHS
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/sciatica/Maslak, Joseph P. MD; Jenkins, Tyler J. MD; Weiner, Joseph A. MD; Kannan, Abhishek S. MD; Patoli, Daneel M. MD; McCarthy, Michael H. MD, MPH; Hsu, Wellington K. MD; Patel, Alpesh A. MD, FACS. Burden of Sciatica on US Medicare Recipients. Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons 28(10):p e433-e439, May 15, 2020. | DOI: 10.5435/JAAOS-D-19-00174
Reviewed By:
Kent C Doan, MD (Orthopedics)
Dr Doan Graduated from the University of Missouri Kansas City School of Medicine and completed residency training in Orthopedic Surgery at the University of Colorado. He completed additional fellowship training in Orthopedic Sports Medicine at the prestigious Steadman Clinic and Steadman Philippon Research Institute in Vail, Colorado. He is a practicing Orthopedic Surgeon who specializes in complex and revision knee and shoulder surgery at the Kansas City Orthopedic Institute. He also holds an assistant professorship at the University of Kansas City.
Tomohiro Hamahata, MD (Orthopedics)
Dr. Hamahata graduated from the Jikei University of Medical Science. After working at Asanokawa General Hospital and Kosei Chuo Hospital, he joined the Department of Orthopedics at Asakusa Hospital in April 2021, specializing in general orthopedics and joint replacement surgery.
What People Say about Ubie?
Male, 30s
I got more answers in one minute through your site than I did in three hours with Google.
(Sep 29, 2024)
Male, 20s
My experience was great. I was worried, but the symptom checker helped me narrow down what it might be. I feel a little relieved compared to when I first started, and it gives me a starting point for what my symptoms could mean.
(Sep 27, 2024)
Male, 50s
The questions asked and possible causes seemed spot on, putting me at ease for a next-step solution.
(Sep 26, 2024)
Female, 40s
I was actually very impressed with the results it provided because, although I didn’t mention it during the questionnaire because I thought it was unrelated, it suggested I may have something I’ve actually been diagnosed with in the past.
(Sep 25, 2024)
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Developed by doctors.
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Link to full study:
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.08.29.24312810v1