Lumbar radiculopathy is a disease in wich pain is caused in the lower back and hip radiating down the back of the thigh into the leg. It is caused by damage to one of the lower spines, ranging from L1 to S1. This damage is caused by compression of the nerve roots which exit the spine. The compression can lead to tingling, radiating pain, numbness, paraesthesia and occasional shooting pains. Radiculopathy can occur in any part of the spine, but it is most common in the lower back (lumbar radiculopathy) and in the neck (cervical radiculopathy). It is less commonly found in the middle portion of the spine (thoracic radiculopathy).

Radiculopathy is not the same as “radicular pain” or “nerve root pain”. Radiculopathy and radicular pain commonly occur together, but radiculopathy can occur in the absence of pain and radicular pain can occur in the absence of radiculopathy.

Radiculopathy can be defined as the whole complex of symptoms that can rise from nerve root pathology, including anaesthesia, paresthesia, hypoesthesia, motor loss and pain.

Radicular pain and nerve root pain can be defined as a single symptom (pain) that can arise from one or more spinal nerve roots. Lumbar radiculopathy is a disorder of the spinal nerve roots from L1 to S1.