Difference Between Femoral Nerve Pain and Sciatica

Femoral nerve pain extends from the back to the hip and the affected leg. Sciatica is a type of radiculopathy that causes lower back pain that radiates along the course of the sciatic nerve down to the thighs.

What is femoral nerve pain?

Definition:

The femoral nerve is the largest branch of the lumbar plexus. Femoral nerve pain extends from the back to the hip and the affected leg.

Causes:

Causes of femoral nerve pain include nerve damage due to road traffic accidents, broken hip joint, complicated surgeries, vertebral disc prolapse, radiation therapy, nerve pressure due to pregnancy or being overweight, and tumors of the bone.

Symptoms:

Femoral nerve pain manifests as back pain, hip pain, and pain in the leg along with difficulty in extending the knee. Numbness, tingling, and paralysis of the ankle and foot are also seen in femoral nerve damage.

Diagnosis:

Femoral nerve damage is diagnosed through physical examination, and investigations like MRI scans, electromyography, nerve conduction studies, and neuromuscular ultrasound. 

Treatment:

Femoral nerve pain is initially treated with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and physiotherapy. Alternative treatment methods include nerve blocks, splints, and cast and in rare situations surgery.

What is sciatica?

Definition:

Sciatica is a type of radiculopathy that causes lower back pain that radiates along the course of the sciatic nerve down to the thighs.

Causes:

Causes of sciatica include a vertebral disc prolapse, spinal stenosis, osteoarthritis, spondylolisthesis, trauma to lumbar vertebrae, tumors involving the lumbar vertebrae, piriformis syndrome, and cauda equina syndrome.

Symptoms:

The symptoms of sciatica include lower back pain that exists in the buttocks and migrates down to the leg, paresthesia in the lower back and along the course of the sciatic nerve, pain that aggravates on leg movement, tingling in the lower limb and loss of bladder and bowel function if cauda equina exists.

Diagnosis:

Diagnosis of sciatica is based on history, physical examination involving straight leg raise test, radiologic investigations like spinal X-rays, CT scans, MRI scans, and nerve conduction velocity studies.

Treatment:

Initial treatment options for sciatica include self-care treatment such as applying ice packs, taking NSAIDs, and performing mild exercises. Other treatment options are the use of muscle relaxants like cyclobenzaprine, using anticonvulsants, tricyclic antidepressants, spinal steroid injections, physiotherapy, and acupuncture techniques to get rid of the pain completely.

Difference between Femoral Nerve Pain and Sciatica

Definition:

Femoral nerve pain extends from the back to the hip and the affected leg. Sciatica is a type of radiculopathy that causes lower back pain that radiates along the course of the sciatic nerve down to the thighs.

Causes:

Causes of femoral nerve pain include nerve damage due to road traffic accidents, broken hip joint, complicated surgeries, vertebral disc prolapse, radiation therapy, nerve pressure due to pregnancy or being overweight, and tumors of the bone. Causes of sciatica include a vertebral disc prolapse, spinal stenosis, osteoarthritis, spondylolisthesis, trauma to lumbar vertebrae, tumors involving the lumbar vertebrae, piriformis syndrome, and cauda equina syndrome.

Symptoms:

Femoral nerve pain manifests as back pain, hip pain, and pain in the leg along with difficulty in extending the knee. Numbness, tingling, and paralysis of the ankle and foot are also seen in femoral nerve damage. The symptoms of sciatica include lower back pain that exists in the buttocks and migrates down to the leg, paresthesia in the lower back and along the course of the sciatic nerve, pain that aggravates on leg movement, tingling in the lower limb and loss of bladder and bowel function if cauda equina exists.

Diagnosis:

Femoral nerve damage is diagnosed through physical examination, and investigations like MRI scans, electromyography, nerve conduction studies, and neuromuscular ultrasound. Diagnosis of sciatica is based on history, physical examination involving straight leg raise test, radiologic investigations like spinal X-rays, CT scans, MRI scans, and nerve conduction velocity studies.

Treatment:

Femoral nerve damage is diagnosed through physical examination, and investigations like MRI scans, electromyography, nerve conduction studies, and neuromuscular ultrasound.

Initial treatment options for sciatica include self-care treatment such as applying ice packs, taking NSAIDs, and performing mild exercises. Other treatment options are the use of muscle relaxants like cyclobenzaprine, using anticonvulsants, tricyclic antidepressants, spinal steroid injections, physiotherapy, and acupuncture techniques to get rid of the pain completely.

Difference between Femoral Nerve Pain and Sciatica

FAQs

What does femoral nerve pain feel like?

Femoral nerve pain manifests as back pain, hip pain, and pain in the leg along with difficulty in extending the knee. Numbness, tingling, and paralysis of the ankle and foot are also seen in femoral nerve damage.

What are the symptoms of a damaged femoral nerve?

Numbness, tingling, paralysis of the leg and knee, and pain in the hips, back, and leg.

How to tell the difference between sciatica and a pinched nerve?

A pinched nerve can occur anywhere in the body. Sciatica only occurs when the sciatic nerve is compressed. Lower back pain occurs in sciatica.

How do you test for femoral nerve pain?

Femoral nerve damage is diagnosed through physical examination, and investigations like MRI scans, electromyography, nerve conduction studies, and neuromuscular ultrasound. 

How do you get rid of femoral nerve pain?

Femoral nerve pain is initially treated with NSAIDs and physiotherapy. Alternative treatment methods include nerve blocks, splints, and cast and in rare situations surgery.

How long does it take for femoral nerve pain to go away?

It takes months for femoral nerve pain to fade away.

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