Medical history (history of illness) represents an important component in the diagnosis of sciatica/lumboischialgia.
Family history
Social history
- What is your occupation?
Current medical history/systemic history (somatic and psychological complaints).
- Where is the pain localized?
- How long have you had back pain?
- How severe is the pain?
- How did the pain start?
- Suddenly starting after an effort?
- Slowly increasing or progressing after previous low back pain?
- After a wrong movement?
- After an accident
- Does the pain radiate?
- Where does the pain change, or increase or decrease?
- Is the pain increased with coughing and sneezing? (discogenic pain)
- Standing?
- Walking?
- Lying down?
- Is your pain unrelated to strain?
- Do you have diurnal differences in pain intensity?
- More pain during the day than at night?
- Equal amount of pain during the day and at night?
- Do you have a continuous pain?
- Do you have any limitation of movement?
- Does the pain radiate?
- Do you have sensory disturbances/feeling disorders?
- Have you noticed any paralysis symptoms?*
- Extremities* ?
- Bladder and rectal disorders* ?
- Do you have accompanying symptoms such as fever or general feeling of illness?
Vegetative history including nutritional history.
- Are you overweight? Please tell us your body weight (in kg) and height (in cm).
Self anamnesis incl. medication anamnesis
Medication history
- Glucocorticoids – medications for inflammation and when the immune system is overactive – for example, allergic reactions; these can lead to osteoporosis-related fractures with long-term therapy, resulting in back pain (three months or longer of systemic corticosteroid therapy increases the risk of osteoporosis by 30-50 percent!)
* If this question has been answered with “Yes”, an immediate visit to the doctor is required! (Data without guarantee)
