Will mri scans always pick up sciatica?
An MRI will only pick up sciatica when there is an obvious abnormality such as a point where the nerve is being compressed, swelling, or inflammation. If you have sciatica and a negative MRI – that’s good news. It means the pain is probably coming from soft tissue problems instead of bone or cartilage. Soft tissue problems can often be overcome by stretching or exercising, or even therapeutic massage. You could consider seeing a chiropractor or massage therapist, or a physical therapist. See if your doc can recommend one of these other specialties to help you out. Also, think about your day-to-day activities and see if you can identify any frequent activities you might be doing that aggravate the lower back, or upper leg muscles like standing, bending, twisting, lifting, or sitting in an odd position. If the problem is worse in the morning, you could even be doing something in your sleep.
