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Facts and Tips about Sciatica

  • Early Germans called sciatica "the witch's shot." Knowing that it came on suddenly and was very sharp, they figured that it must have a devilish, demonic connection.
  • The Celts called sciatica "the elf's arrow." They didn't understand what caused the terrible pain that shot down their leg. To them, it made sense to believe that an elf had shot them.
  • Even today, the belief that sciatica is caused by mystical powers exists in some areas of the world. In very, very rural parts of Egypt, for example, people believe that devils they call junin cause sciatica.
  • Hippocrates (aka, the father of medicine—he was born in Greece in 460 BC) observed that sciatica was most common in summer and autumn. Looking back from modern times, we can guess that he saw more instances of it because people were more physically active in the summer and autumn, especially with farming. However, Hippocrates believed people were more likely to experience sciatica during that time because the intense sun would dry up their joint fluid, making movement painful.
  • Hippocrates also believed that sciatica was more likely to affect the upper classes, especially the extremely rich who could afford to go horseback riding a lot. It was one of the best ways to get from place to place back then, but he must've thought that all the jolting and bouncing wasn't worth it if it caused such searing pain.
  • In ancient Rome, Octavia, the wife of Mark Antony (aka, Julius Caesar's friend), treated her sciatica with an herbal mixture: marjoram, rosemary, wine, and olive oil. That sounds much nicer than what one Roman doctor recommended for particularly difficult cases: hot coals, skin hooks, and bloodletting.
  • Shakespeare knew about the pain of sciatica, and he used it as a curse in his play Timon of Athens. "Thou cold sciatica, cripple our senators, that their limbs may halt as lamely as their manners" (Act 4, Scene 1).
Last Updated: 01/18/2008
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