DEFINITION OF SCIATICA

Definition of sciatica:
Pain along the sciatic nerve usually caused by a herniated disk of the lumbar region of the spine and radiating to the buttocks and to the back of the thigh. (the free dictionary)
Sciatica refers to pain, weakness, numbness, or tingling in the leg. It is caused by injury to or compression of the sciatic nerve. Sciatica is a symptom of another medical problem, not a medical condition on its own. (medline plus)
Sciatic neuralgia is defined as ‘pain in the distribution of the sciatic nerve due to pathology of the nerve itself’.72 Radicular pain is defined as ‘pain perceived as arising in a limb or the trunk caused by ectopic activation of nociceptive afferent fibres in a spinal nerve or its roots or other neuropathic mechanisms’.72 According to these definitions, sciatic neuralgia is clearly a form of radicular pain, and is described as a disease of the peripheral nervous system.72

The use of the term sciatica, however, should only be in the context of the above definitions and as such, be distinguished from any or all other forms of pain felt in the leg, particularly referred pain.

According to Dorland's Medical Dictionary: Sciatica = neuralgia along the course of the sciatic nerve, most often with pain radiating into the buttock and lower limb, most commonly due to herniation of a lumbar disk (L5/S1 component)