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How To Diagnose Sciatica?
Diagnosis is a very important step before the disease can be confirmed. Sciatica is commonly misdiagnosed by the public while originally it is some other pain. Only a healthcare professional, especially a physician can confirm whether the source of pain is the sciatic nerve. The healthcare provider will first go through your medical history and then ask you certain questions to validate your symptoms.
The first step is to check the way you walk. If you limp a little while you walk, it is a sign that your leg pain is unable to bear your weight in a pain-free manner. Another way of diagnosis is the straight leg test. Your doctor will ask you to lie on a plane surface such as the patient’s bed and raise your leg straight up. If you fail to make a 90-degree angle with the horizontal plane, it means your nerves are pressed enough, causing pain and impedance in the normal movement of your leg. This test will also confirm if there is any problem in the discs of your vertebrae.
After the basic physical exams, your doctor will recommend an X-Ray or CT scan to confirm any damages to the bone or nerves through the radiological exam. Spinal X-rays will rule out all the possibilities of tumors, fractures, infections, and disk problems that could be suppressing the nerve. CT- Scan and MRI will further show detailed examination of the bone and the soft tissues of the back.
