New Chiropractic Patients
Is that sharp searing pain in your leg sciatica? If not, what other conditions can be mistaken for sciatica? And what can you do about them?
Read on to find out what can be mistaken for sciatica, and what causes these conditions.
Sciatica is a condition in which your sciatic nerve is compressed or irritated, medically referred to as ‘sciatic nerve entrapment’.
The resulting (sciatic) pain radiates along the sciatic nerve and down your leg. You may also get some tingling, numbness, and muscle weakness.
Sciatica can be discogenic (common), non-discogenic (uncommon) or extra-spinal (also uncommon).
Most sciatica (around 90%) occurs from some type of degenerative lumbar disc disease that causes the affected disc/s to pinch the roots of the sciatic nerve (discogenic sciatica). This commonly includes:
When we talk about sciatica, we are often referring to this condition. But, as we’ve mentioned, it’s not the only type of sciatica, which is worth pointing out in the context of conditions that mimic sciatica.
Some, whilst traditionally considered conditions that can be mistaken for sciatica, DO in fact directly affect the sciatic nerve.
Non-discogenic sciatica (NDS), although not as common, refers to sciatic pain caused by something other than a dysfunctional vertebral disc.
It can originate from other lumbar spinal issues (lumbar sciatica), or further down the sciatic nerve, in which case it may be termed ‘extra-spinal sciatica’.
Lumbar spinal causes of NDS include:
However, the sciatic nerve can be compromised anywhere along its length, resulting in sciatic pain (extra-lumbar sciatica). Common causes (that directly lead to sciatic nerve entrapment) include:
Sciatica though isn’t the only condition that causes this type and location of pain, which can lead to potential misdiagnosis. So what other conditions can feel like sciatica, but really aren’t?
The gluteus medius and maximus muscles help to stabilise your hips.
When they are strained or develop trigger points (tight knots of contracted muscle), they can create referred pain that feels similar to sciatic pain in your lower back, hips, and even down your leg.
These muscles can also get tight and dysfunctional, causing compensatory movement patterns that then impact other structures. These structures may in turn affect the sciatic nerve.
For example, if the piriformis muscle is affected, it can then compress the sciatic nerve.
Your sacroiliac (SI) joint connects your pelvis to your lower spine.
Dysfunction in the SI joint can cause referred pain that starts in your lower back (like sciatica) and travels down one leg (like sciatica). As a result, SI joint dysfunction is often mistaken as sciatic nerve pain
Your hamstrings run down your leg alongside your sciatic nerve.
A hamstring strain, particularly a severe one, can cause pain that radiates down the back of your leg similar to sciatica.
The femoral nerve is a major nerve that starts in your lower back, runs through the pelvis and into your front thigh muscles.
When this nerve is irritated or compressed, it can generate pain that runs down the front of your thigh. This may be confused with sciatica, even though the sciatic nerve runs down the BACK of your leg.
If you have pain that feels like sciatica, it’s important to have it correctly diagnosed to avoid a misdiagnosis of sciatica.
Sciatica is a common diagnosis for leg pain but it’s important to know that there are other conditions with similar symptoms.
Additionally, dysfunction in other structures, particularly in the pelvic region, can also directly impact the sciatic nerve. However, the only way to know for sure if you have sciatica or something that is often mistaken for sciatica is by getting an accurate diagnosis.