How Long Does Sciatic Pain In Lower Back Last?

Posted on Fri, 20 Feb 2015

Question: hello. i have been told by a emergency dr , I have sciatic with pain in the lower back and down my left leg especially behind my knee. how long will this last? its been 2 weeks. im worried about blood clot can I do stretches to ease the pain? email; YYYY@YYYY .

Answered by Dr. Panagiotis Zografakis (51 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
May take less than 1 month

Detailed Answer:
Hello,

this kind of pain can last no more than 1 month (usually). The normal course of this condition, is severe pain at first, progressively getting milder and milder until it goes away. You can do whatever makes you feel better. Actually you can return to your usual activities. Just let the pain guide you.

If you've not had an X-ray on the emergency room then you should. The X-ray may reveal abnormalities in the vertebrae.

If the X-ray is not enlightening about your situation and the pain goes on, then a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) would be helpful. The MRI may also reveal spinal cord problems (external pressure, tumors, blood vessel problems etc).

I hope you find my answer helpful!
If you'd like further details, please contact me again.

Kind Regards!

Note: For further queries, consult a joint and bone specialist, an Orthopaedic surgeon. Book a Call now.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad