Family Nurse Practitioner Exam

A positive straight-leg raising test typically indicates what condition?

1. A) Myasthenia gravis

2. B) Herniated disc or sciatic nerve inflammation

3. C) Multiple sclerosis

4. D) Parkinson's disease

The correct answer is: B) Herniated disc or sciatic nerve inflammation

A positive straight-leg raising test is commonly used to help diagnose issues related to the lower back and legs, particularly indicating conditions such as herniated discs or sciatic nerve inflammation. This test involves raising the patient's straight leg while they are lying down, and if pain radiates down the leg, this suggests the presence of nerve root irritation or compression, commonly associated with a herniated disc pressing on the sciatic nerve. Conditions like myasthenia gravis, multiple sclerosis, and Parkinson's disease do not typically produce a positive result in this specific test. Myasthenia gravis primarily affects muscle strength and does not usually involve nerve root compression that the straight-leg raising test assesses. Multiple sclerosis might result in other neurological symptoms but is not specifically evaluated by this test. Parkinson's disease may lead to muscular stiffness and issues with movement but does not typically manifest in a way that involves pain during the raising of a straight leg connected to nerve root irritation. Thus, the correct answer directly aligns with common clinical findings associated with the straight-leg raising test in the context of herniated discs or sciatic nerve issues.