<p>Patients and physicians are often dissatisfied with the diagnosis of back pain. Terms such as lumbago ( “Hexenschuss” in German) and sciatica (“Ischias” in German) are frequently used, but their medical meaning remains imprecise. Lumbago traditionally describes pain in the lumbar spine, buttock, and thigh regions. The term sciatica (“Hexenschuss” in German) comes from the medieval idea that diseases were transmitted to humans by evil spirits using bows and arrows. Sciatica is acute back pain with a&#xa0;sudden onset, often triggered by everyday movements or strain. Possible pathophysiological mechanisms include muscular strains, discogenic pain due to annular tears, and blockages in the facet joints. The latter could result from the entrapment of a&#xa0;meniscoid, which stretches the joint capsule, leading to severe pain and reflex muscle contraction. This theory offers a&#xa0;plausible explanation for the effectiveness of manual therapies, in which a&#xa0;short-term expansion of the joint space could reposition the meniscoid.</p>