Your healthcare provider will ask about your symptoms and
medical history. A physical exam will be done. Your back, hips,
and legs and will be tested for strength, flexibility,
sensation, and reflexes. Often, patients with pain may feel an
urgent need to have a medical test. Medical tests are not
routinely required for back pain and sciatica. Most episodes of
acute back pain resolve on their own over several weeks. In
these cases, the information from an x-ray or MRI may not change
the medical plan, so tests may be unnecessary. An MRI or x-ray
is usually ordered if there is a plan to do a procedure or
surgery based on the result of the images. Studies of medical
imaging have demonstrated that MRI and x-ray may be too
sensitive. They can often show abnormalities that are not truly
significant, such as degenerated discs in individuals who do not
have symptoms. An improper medical test can lead to improper
treatment and can greatly increase medical costs. It is
important for such tests to be ordered appropriatel