{ "schema_version": 1, "kind": "condition", "id": "sciatica", "name": "Sciatica (lumbar radiculopathy)", "category": "chronic", "sources": "NICE Guideline NG59 · Naproxen 500 mg Tablets SmPC section 4.2 (eMC product 2639) · MSF Essential Drugs 2024 - paracetamol (oral) · NICE NG59 evidence review, pharmacological management of sciatica, 2020 (NCBI Bookshelf NBK562934)", "review_status": "reviewed", "verified_against": "Naproxen 500 mg Tablets SmPC section 4.2 (eMC product 2639) · MSF Essential Drugs 2024 - paracetamol (oral) · Sciatica - disease-level clinical article (sciatica-full.txt)", "verified_date": "2026-08", "treatments": [ { "id": 1593, "generic": "Naproxen", "line": 1, "is_adjunct": false, "form": "oral.solid", "strength_mg": 500.0, "adult_dose": "500 mg twice daily with or after food", "adult_duration": "1-2 weeks", "dose_source": "Naproxen 500 mg Tablets SmPC section 4.2 (eMC product 2639)", "rationale": "NICE NG59 makes no positive drug recommendation for sciatica - its 2020 pharmacological review found no agent with clinical benefit. An NSAID is offered here as short symptomatic cover while the mainstay is arranged: keep moving, physiotherapy, and referral for persistent or progressive neurological deficit.", "cautions": [ "Contraindicated in active GI bleeding, severe heart failure, or severe renal failure.", "Co-prescribe PPI in patients >65 years or with history of peptic ulcer disease.", "Caution in asthma (risk of NSAID-exacerbated respiratory disease).", "NICE NG59 recommendation 1.2.16 (2020): do not offer gabapentinoids, other antiepileptics, oral corticosteroids or benzodiazepines for sciatica - no evidence of benefit and evidence of harm." ], "peds_mgkg_low": null, "peds_mgkg_high": null, "peds_max_mg": null, "peds_basis": null, "peds_unit": null, "peds_note": "Red flag in children - sciatica in a child is not disc disease until proven otherwise (spinal tumour, discitis, spondylolisthesis, slipped upper femoral epiphysis all present this way). Refer urgently; no paediatric dose is given here because this is not a condition to treat symptomatically in primary care. Naproxen is in any case not licensed under 16 years for this indication.", "peds_min_weight_kg": null, "peds_max_weight_kg": null, "peds_age_min_months": null, "peds_age_max_months": null, "peds_age_bands": null, "peds_doses": null, "brands": [ { "trade_name": "ORGOPROXEN 500 MG 20 TAB.", "scientific_name": null, "normalized_ingredient": null, "manufacturer": "ORGANOPHARMA > ORGANO", "price_egp": 16.0, "pack_count": 20, "unit_price": 0.8, "strength_mg": 500.0, "exact_strength": true, "exact_form": true, "discontinued": false, "also_contains": null }, { "trade_name": "NAPROSYN 500 MG 10 TAB.", "scientific_name": null, "normalized_ingredient": null, "manufacturer": "MISR > F.HOFFMAN LA ROCHE", "price_egp": 8.05, "pack_count": 10, "unit_price": 0.81, "strength_mg": 500.0, "exact_strength": true, "exact_form": true, "discontinued": false, "also_contains": null }, { "trade_name": "NAPROFEN 500MG 10 TAB.", "scientific_name": null, "normalized_ingredient": null, "manufacturer": "EL NILE.", "price_egp": 12.0, "pack_count": 10, "unit_price": 1.2, "strength_mg": 500.0, "exact_strength": true, "exact_form": true, "discontinued": false, "also_contains": null }, { "trade_name": "NAPROFEN 500MG 20 TAB.", "scientific_name": null, "normalized_ingredient": null, "manufacturer": "EL NILE.", "price_egp": 24.0, "pack_count": 20, "unit_price": 1.2, "strength_mg": 500.0, "exact_strength": true, "exact_form": true, "discontinued": false, "also_contains": null } ], "condition_id": "sciatica" }, { "id": 1595, "generic": "Referral & safety-netting (no drug therapy)", "line": 1, "is_adjunct": false, "form": null, "strength_mg": null, "adult_dose": null, "adult_duration": null, "dose_source": "Sciatica - disease-level clinical article (sciatica-full.txt)", "rationale": "Carries the referral criteria and warning signs for this condition, which apply whichever treatment is chosen.", "cautions": [ "RED FLAG - Bowel/bladder incontinence, urinary retention, or lower extremity weakness signals acute neurologic deficit requiring aggressive workup (cauda equina).", "RED FLAG - IV drug use and immunocompromise (HIV, diabetes) raise risk of epidural abscess.", "RED FLAG - History of trauma, malignancy, or tuberculosis, or fevers/night sweats/chills should prompt work-up for fracture, metastasis, or infection rather than simple sciatica.", "RED FLAG - Diagnosed spinal mass effect (epidural abscess or hematoma) requires immediate spinal surgeon consultation." ], "peds_mgkg_low": null, "peds_mgkg_high": null, "peds_max_mg": null, "peds_basis": null, "peds_unit": null, "peds_note": null, "peds_min_weight_kg": null, "peds_max_weight_kg": null, "peds_age_min_months": null, "peds_age_max_months": null, "peds_age_bands": null, "peds_doses": null, "brands": [], "condition_id": "sciatica" }, { "id": 1594, "generic": "Paracetamol", "line": 1, "is_adjunct": true, "form": "oral.solid", "strength_mg": 500.0, "adult_dose": "1000 mg 3-4 times daily as needed (max 4000 mg daily)", "adult_duration": "1-2 weeks", "dose_source": "MSF Essential Drugs 2024 - paracetamol (oral)", "rationale": "Adjunctive simple analgesic combined with NSAID", "cautions": [ "Do not exceed maximum daily dose (risk of severe hepatotoxicity).", "Check total daily dose from all paracetamol-containing combination products." ], "peds_mgkg_low": null, "peds_mgkg_high": null, "peds_max_mg": null, "peds_basis": null, "peds_unit": null, "peds_note": "Red flag in children - sciatica in a child is not disc disease until proven otherwise (spinal tumour, discitis, spondylolisthesis, slipped upper femoral epiphysis all present this way). Refer urgently; no paediatric dose is given here because this is not a condition to treat symptomatically in primary care.", "peds_min_weight_kg": null, "peds_max_weight_kg": null, "peds_age_min_months": null, "peds_age_max_months": null, "peds_age_bands": null, "peds_doses": null, "brands": [ { "trade_name": "FEBRIMOL 500 MG 20 TAB.", "scientific_name": null, "normalized_ingredient": null, "manufacturer": "PHARCO", "price_egp": 3.5, "pack_count": 20, "unit_price": 0.17, "strength_mg": 500.0, "exact_strength": true, "exact_form": true, "discontinued": false, "also_contains": null }, { "trade_name": "CETAMOL 500 MG 20 TABS.", "scientific_name": null, "normalized_ingredient": null, "manufacturer": "MEMPHIS", "price_egp": 8.0, "pack_count": 20, "unit_price": 0.4, "strength_mg": 500.0, "exact_strength": true, "exact_form": true, "discontinued": false, "also_contains": null }, { "trade_name": "PARACETAMOL-MUP 500MG B.P. 20 TABS.", "scientific_name": null, "normalized_ingredient": null, "manufacturer": "MUP", "price_egp": 13.0, "pack_count": 20, "unit_price": 0.65, "strength_mg": 500.0, "exact_strength": true, "exact_form": true, "discontinued": false, "also_contains": null }, { "trade_name": "CETAL 500 MG 20 TABS.", "scientific_name": null, "normalized_ingredient": null, "manufacturer": "EIPICO", "price_egp": 24.0, "pack_count": 20, "unit_price": 1.2, "strength_mg": 500.0, "exact_strength": true, "exact_form": true, "discontinued": false, "also_contains": null }, { "trade_name": "ARKADOLOW 500 MG 30 F.C. TABS.", "scientific_name": null, "normalized_ingredient": null, "manufacturer": "UTOPIA", "price_egp": 42.0, "pack_count": 30, "unit_price": 1.4, "strength_mg": 500.0, "exact_strength": true, "exact_form": true, "discontinued": false, "also_contains": null }, { "trade_name": "PARAMOL 500MG 20 TAB.", "scientific_name": null, "normalized_ingredient": null, "manufacturer": "MISR", "price_egp": 38.0, "pack_count": 20, "unit_price": 1.9, "strength_mg": 500.0, "exact_strength": true, "exact_form": true, "discontinued": false, "also_contains": null }, { "trade_name": "ADOL 500MG 24 CAPLETS", "scientific_name": null, "normalized_ingredient": null, "manufacturer": "JULPHAR", "price_egp": 32.0, "pack_count": null, "unit_price": null, "strength_mg": 500.0, "exact_strength": true, "exact_form": true, "discontinued": false, "also_contains": null }, { "trade_name": "AUGICETAMIDE 500 MG 20 SACHETS", "scientific_name": null, "normalized_ingredient": null, "manufacturer": "AUG PHARMA", "price_egp": 50.0, "pack_count": null, "unit_price": null, "strength_mg": 500.0, "exact_strength": true, "exact_form": true, "discontinued": false, "also_contains": null }, { "trade_name": "FEBRIMOL ORAL DROPS 20 ML", "scientific_name": null, "normalized_ingredient": null, "manufacturer": "PHARCO", "price_egp": 4.0, "pack_count": null, "unit_price": null, "strength_mg": null, "exact_strength": false, "exact_form": false, "discontinued": false, "also_contains": null }, { "trade_name": "THERA-LO 3.2G/100ML ORAL SUSP. 100 ML", "scientific_name": null, "normalized_ingredient": null, "manufacturer": "PHAROPHARMA", "price_egp": 5.0, "pack_count": null, "unit_price": null, "strength_mg": 3200.0, "exact_strength": false, "exact_form": false, "discontinued": false, "also_contains": null } ], "condition_id": "sciatica" } ] }