In simple words: Lumbago with sciatica means lower back pain that travels down your leg.It's often a sharp, shooting pain, and you may also feel numbness or tingling. This happens because a nerve in your lower back is being pinched or irritated.Treatment depends on the cause and might include rest, over-the-counter pain relievers, physical therapy, or surgery in severe cases.

Lumbago with sciatica is characterized by pain in the lumbar spine that radiates along the sciatic nerve pathway into the buttock, thigh, leg, and sometimes foot.This radiating pain is often accompanied by symptoms such as numbness, tingling, and weakness in the affected leg.Common causes include herniated or bulging intervertebral discs, spinal stenosis, bone spurs, or piriformis syndrome. Diagnosis involves patient history, physical examination (including neurological assessment), and imaging studies (such as X-ray or MRI) to identify the underlying cause. Treatment may range from conservative measures (rest, ice/heat, analgesics, physical therapy) to surgical intervention (such as discectomy or laminectomy) in cases of severe or persistent symptoms.

Example 1: A 45-year-old presents with lower back pain radiating down their right leg, accompanied by numbness and tingling.Physical exam reveals decreased reflexes and weakness in the right leg. MRI shows a herniated disc at L4-L5 compressing the nerve root.Treatment consists of conservative management with physical therapy, NSAIDs, and epidural steroid injections., A 60-year-old with a history of spinal stenosis reports worsening lower back pain and bilateral leg pain, particularly when walking. Physical exam is unremarkable. MRI demonstrates spinal narrowing causing nerve root compression.The patient undergoes surgical decompression to alleviate the pressure on the nerve roots., A 30-year-old reports acute onset of severe lower back pain radiating to the right buttock and thigh after lifting a heavy object. The pain is aggravated by coughing and sneezing.Physical exam shows tenderness in the lumbar spine. Imaging is negative for herniated disc or stenosis. Treatment focuses on conservative management with rest, ice, NSAIDs, and physical therapy.

Detailed patient history including onset, location, character, and radiation of pain; neurological examination documenting sensory deficits, motor weakness, and reflexes; imaging studies (X-ray, MRI) to visualize the spine and identify the cause of nerve root compression; documentation of treatment plan and response to treatment.

** The term "lumbago" is becoming less frequently used in clinical practice; however, the code M54.4 remains valid for cases where both lower back pain and sciatica are present.