Leg pain on one side is the picture most people have of sciatica. If both legs hurt, the question becomes whether it still counts as sciatica and what that does to your next step.
Short answer: yes, a source describes one or both legs
OrthoInfo (AAOS) writes about what a herniated disk in the lower back can do. This may cause pain, numbness, and/or weakness in one or both of your legs, a condition called sciatica. So symptoms in both legs fall within what that source describes. It does not say how common that is or how it changes treatment.
What to report when both legs are involved
Pain, numbness and weakness are three separate complaints. Note which of them you have in each leg and when each began. Do not average them into "leg pain" at the appointment, because a clinician sorting out the cause needs the detail. MedlinePlus on sciatica is a plain public page to read first, and WebMD's pain management center covers pain topics more widely.
Next steps
- Write a short list for each leg: pain, numbness, weakness, and the date each started.
- Ask the clinician whether symptoms in both legs change how soon you should be seen.
- Ask which changes should send you back before the next scheduled visit.
- Read OrthoInfo's page on sciatica and compare its treatment list with what you are offered.
A ledger note on two-leg symptoms
Symptoms in both legs are the kind of detail that can change what a visit is worth, so say it first and not last. Before you book in Little Falls, ask for the plan in writing, including the number of visits and what each one costs. We are an information site, not a clinic. Our comparisons stop short of medical advice.