sciatica: pain along the course of a sciatic nerve especially in the back of the thigh; broadly, pain in the lower back, buttocks, hips, or adjacent parts.(source: Merriam Webster Online Dictionary)
Now, to a more exact and helpful description...
Sciatica is an indescribable symptom. It is so variant and so painful that when you go to a doctor's office, they have to use a list of sensations used to describe it that is 10+ words long, none of which actually describe what you are feeling. Words like "burning", "shooting", "aching", and "stinging" all carry a specific connotation which can only describe part of what is felt. I have found that phrases like "as if an electric wire that is running down the back of my leg suddenly went haywire" work better.
So if your doctor asks you to describe exactly your sciatica feels like, remember that it feels different to every person. You could try to summarize the pain with the words provided on your intake form, or, if you are feeling particularly annoyed with the length of time you spent sitting in their painful waiting room chairs, just pinch the back of the doctor's thigh as hard as you can. Then say, "It feels like that."
photo credit: http://www.therapads.com/images/back1.jpg
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