Bilateral Sciatica

Bilateral sciatica is slightly less common than unilateral sciatic nerve pain. Bilateral means that symptoms are experienced on both sides of the body. Either leg can be affected individually or both together at once. Bilateral symptoms have a reputation as being a highly variable pain process and most patients demonstrate pain, tingling, weakness or numbness throughout wide ranging areas of the lower back, buttocks, legs and feet.

Bilateral Sciatica

Bilateral Sciatica Causes

Bilateral symptoms are even harder to accurately diagnose than the unilateral variety. However, this does not stop doctors and chiropractors from blaming the usual old stand by scapegoat conditions in 95% of cases:

* Herniated discs are the most common diagnosis, even if the clinical profile of the herniation does not match the symptomology.

* Spinal stenosis can cause bilateral back and leg pain, but rarely does.

* Osteoarthritis might produce osteophytes, but these are unlikely to cause bilateral symptoms (or any significant symptoms for that matter).

* Dual piriformis syndrome is theoretically possible, but extremely rare. The diagnosis however is relatively common, especially when there is no obvious spinal cause to blame.

* Chemical radiculitis from a ruptured disc might create bilateral symptoms, but this is a distant long shot, especially since the diagnosis itself is so controversial and might not even exist in a typical patient.

Bilateral Sciatica and Ischemia

As with all other sciatica nerve pain syndromes, ischemia is often the actual cause of symptoms, regardless of the diagnosis. Ischemia works regionally and can affect large areas of the body at once. This easily explains both the typical variable symptoms of sciatica, as well as the often painfully debilitating spasms in the lower back, which often accompany acute attacks. Oxygen deprivation is the main reason for most chronic back pain syndromes, but has never made its way into the arsenal of medical diagnoses on any major level. This is due to the economic consequences of acknowledging a harmless and easily treated condition within the back pain industry, as well as a general reluctance to accept the constant interactions between the mind and the body when it comes to dorsopathy syndromes.

Bilateral Sciatica Advice

My sciatic nerve pain nightmare fit this bilateral profile. My symptoms changed frequently and usually existed in both legs at once. I had wide spread lower back and leg pain which was blamed on my 2 herniated discs and advanced degenerative disc disease. I tried everything to cure my severe sciatic nerve symptoms, but the pain simply would not leave. I wrestled with this torture for 18 years, before I finally found a legitimate cure.

If you are suffering with any treatment resistant sciatica pain, but especially if it is bilateral, you must seriously think about the validity of your diagnosis. Misdiagnosed sciatica is the #1 reason why patients never get better and truly recover. If this sounds like your situation and you require help. Feel free to write to me for some advice…

Bilateral Sciatica to Sciatica Home
9/28/08 Revised 12/13/09