Vilenkin's symptom
Vilenkin's symptom is one of the symptoms indicating damage to the sciatic nerve root.
The symptom is increased pain along the course of the sciatic nerve when tapping (percussion) on the gluteal muscles. This occurs due to irritation of the sciatic nerve root, which innervates this muscle group.
Vilenkin's symptom is most often observed with lumbosacral radiculitis, when there is compression (squeezing) of the sciatic nerve root in the lumbar or sacral spine. In this case, pain occurs in the buttock and along the back of the thigh, which intensifies with percussion.
Thus, the Vilenkin symptom allows one to suspect damage to the sciatic nerve and is diagnostically significant when examining patients with corresponding complaints. Its presence indicates the need for further examination and treatment of diseases of the lumbosacral spine.