
Beyond the Back: Surprising Causes of Sciatica Not Found in the Lumbar Spine
When you feel that unmistakable lightning bolt of pain searing from your glutes down to your toes, the first suspect is almost always a herniated disc. While lumbar spine issues account for roughly 90% of sciatica cases, the remaining 10% present a diagnostic puzzle. If your MRI shows a perfectly healthy lower back but your leg is still screaming, it’s time to look at extraspinal causes—the “sciatica mimics” that originate outside the vertebral column.

