Goals are to identify

Need for Surgical Eval:

• Severe neurological deficits
• Motor deficits at more than one level
• Fecal incontinence
• Bladder dysfunction (e.g. urinary retention)¹

Screen for more serious disease
(e.g. malignancy or infection)

• Alarm symptoms¹
• History
  • location of pain
  • frequency of symptoms
  • duration of pain
  • previous symptoms
  • response to treatment. 
  • other signs and symptoms¹
• Screening tests for a herniated disk (unlikely if no sciatica)
  • sciatica
  • straight leg raise test
  • crossed straight leg raise test
  • strength, reflexes and sensation¹ of the lower extremities
• Obtain x-ray w/ history of trauma