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sciatica
(si-at´ĭ-kә)
neuralgia along the course of the sciatic nerve; the term is popularly used to describe a number of different disorders that directly or indirectly affect the nerve. Because
of its length, this nerve is exposed to many different kinds of injury, and inflammation of it or injury to it causes pain
that travels down from the back or thigh along its course through the lower limb. Some leg muscles may become partly or completely
paralyzed. The most common cause is a herniated disk, and other causes include back injury, irritation from arthritis of the spine, or pressure on the nerve from certain types of exertion. Called also sciatic neuritis.
Distribution of pain in sciatica.
Copyright 2007. An Elsevier publication. All rights reserved.
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