In pain that starts in the hip and calves and radiates down to the sole of the foot during menstruation, sciatic nerve endometriosis must certainly come to mind
The condition called sciatic nerve endometriosis has a rather low probability of occurring when all endometriosis cases are considered. However, when it does occur it causes serious complaints and affects the person’s quality of life negatively. Sciatic nerve endometriosis, a very rare form of endometriosis, which is seen in about 10% of women of reproductive age, refers to involvement by endometriosis, also known as the chocolate cyst, in the area close to the pelvic bone and is a problem characterised by leg pain.
What Is Sciatic Nerve Endometriosis?
The sciatic nerve can generally be described as the longest and thickest nerve in the human body. The sensations that arise in areas such as the back of the thigh, the knee, the back of the calf and the sole of the foot are carried by the sciatic nerve. Some foot and leg muscles are also stimulated by this nerve. Endometriosis formations, or the chocolate cyst as it is better known, can rarely attach to the part of this nerve that lies inside the abdomen. As a result of this attachment, problems arise from the pressure created on the sciatic nerve. If the patient’s history is not listened to carefully and the details are not examined, it is quite difficult to understand that the problem is caused by endometriosis.
What Are the Signs of Sciatic Nerve Endometriosis?
Sciatic nerve endometriosis can cause signs resembling both the chocolate cyst and a lumbar disc herniation. Involvement of the sciatic nerve can lead to symptoms such as pain in the legs, a sensation of numbness, pain from the sole of the foot, tingling and muscle weakness, as in a disc herniation. The menstrual pain characteristic of endometriosis is also among the signs. However, the most important detail to note here is that the pain, tingling and numbness in the legs and feet become more severe during menstruation. This is because during menstruation, as a result of the increased inflammation in the endometriotic tissue, the pressure on the sciatic nerve also increases, so the signs are expected to appear far more severely.
After a comprehensive examination, this problem can be diagnosed by a detailed MRI. As a result of surgery performed by neuropelveologists specialised in nerve surgery of the groin area, almost all of the signs the person experiences disappear and the person returns comfortably to normal life. It should not be forgotten that in cases where treatment is delayed, permanent damage to the nerve can result in foot drop and disability in walking.