Sciatica

[higgyburners]

Originally Posted by Strats-N-Vettes

There’s no proof of that.

[Olustee bus]

Originally Posted by ZipZap

For me, the pain happened to be an issue with the piriformis muscle. I get a periodic spasm that literally causes my leg to buckle.

Funny you mention that. I describe a problem I had like that. I went of a trip in my motorhome, 4 hours there and 4 hours back. Gone for a week. Back hurt pretty bad. Next day after getting home, no problem. The second morning, I got out of bed and my legs buckled under me. I could not walk. I had to use a rollator for about one month. I am still having problems.

I attribute it to cramping piriformis.

[Lakota]

Originally Posted by Olustee bus

Funny you mention that. I describe a problem I had like that. I went of a trip in my motorhome, 4 hours there and 4 hours back. Gone for a week. Back hurt pretty bad. Next day after getting home, no problem. The second morning, I got out of bed and my legs buckled under me. I could not walk. I had to use a rollator for about one month. I am still having problems.

I attribute it to cramping piriformis.

You tube has a number of videos where physical therapist show you exercises for piriformis problems. They have helped me.

[Vet4jdc]

I speak from experience....until you know the root cause, all the things you try may be making you worse instead of better. I had an injury to my disc at L4-L5 about 7 years ago. I went for about a month trying steroids, PT, stretching, etc and got nowhere. Finally my doctor ordered an MRI and found the root of the problem.

Once you know what's causing the sciatic pain, you can start to heal yourself. Proper care for me ended up being corticosteroid injections to my spine for 3 months followed by a life style change. It took my body almost 5 years to heal itself but I managed to avoid the dreaded back surgery.

I still have a sciatic flareup every now and then but it's usually because I did something stupid like lifting a heavy object. Good luck getting yours diagnosed and on the road to recovery.

[Olustee bus]

I have a question regarding spinal surgery. I may be a candidate (for the 4th time). I have some rods and pins in my neck and I am very stiff there with modest pain sometimes. Can't sleep on one side.

The possible lumbar surgery (don't know anything about it yet) will likely include a good bit of hardware. I know hardware was a real problem years ago. Have improvements been made so that they are not necessarily so pain prone?

[Mick]

Originally Posted by Dan47

I actually have an xray and MRI showing the sciatic nerve being impinged where it exits at L5. I don't doubt that some people develop what happened to you but many of us wear out our bodies with age. Arthritis, herniated discs, etc. are real conditions.

That said, I believe it probably is possible for some people to dismiss and ignore pain through willpower alone. Not me, I use Ice and medicine.

OK, you didn't say above what the MRI found. Do you have a herniation at L5? What is impinging the nerve there. If there is a herniation, the ice and anti-inflammatories are the way to go. Don't be afraid to use a little heat in the area two, to promote blood flow which is essential for healing.

Good luck!

[GTOguy]

Originally Posted by Vet4jdc

I speak from experience....until you know the root cause, all the things you try may be making you worse instead of better. I had an injury to my disc at L4-L5 about 7 years ago. I went for about a month trying steroids, PT, stretching, etc and got nowhere. Finally my doctor ordered an MRI and found the root of the problem.

Once you know what's causing the sciatic pain, you can start to heal yourself. Proper care for me ended up being corticosteroid injections to my spine for 3 months followed by a life style change. It took my body almost 5 years to heal itself but I managed to avoid the dreaded back surgery.

I still have a sciatic flareup every now and then but it's usually because I did something stupid like lifting a heavy object. Good luck getting yours diagnosed and on the road to recovery.

My story is the same. Injury (local protrusion) to L4-L5 disc but not ruptured. Just squeezed out and pushing on the nerve. PT, stretching, and the inversion table helped. It comes and goes, but is manageable. I have to keep aware of my positioning when I pick things up and move things and work on equipment, etc. Remembering to NEVER lift and twist at the same time!
My injury was in 2000, and is still not 100%, but does not bother me most of the time. No operations or cortisone for me regarding this.

[Olustee bus]

The best relief I had was due to a lumbar laminectomy. No hardware involved. Just opened up the spinal canal.

[Dan47]

Originally Posted by Mick

OK, you didn't say above what the MRI found. Do you have a herniation at L5? What is impinging the nerve there. If there is a herniation, the ice and anti-inflammatories are the way to go. Don't be afraid to use a little heat in the area two, to promote blood flow which is essential for healing.

Good luck!

As I understand it, it's a bulging disc at L5. Was referred to Ortho and they want to try physical therapy first.

Last night sucked bad, couldn't stop the pain and was just miserable. I need to get this fixed soon.

[Mick]

Originally Posted by Dan47

As I understand it, it's a bulging disc at L5. Was referred to Ortho and they want to try physical therapy first.

Last night sucked bad, couldn't stop the pain and was just miserable. I need to get this fixed soon.

That's what I had, and the thing that worked was an oral steroid pack. I took I think 7 pills the first day, 6 the next, 5 the next and so on. When the week was over, I didn't feel any different, so I started to think it didn't work. A week or two after that, I noticed the pain was just a little bit less today than yesterday. That went on for weeks before the 24 hour pain was more or less gone.

Now, 6 years later, I don't really have any doctor ordered restrictions, but there are things in my home gym I won't do, like deadlifts, to protect my back.

Good luck!

[vettemed]

Originally Posted by Mick

That's what I had, and the thing that worked was an oral steroid pack. I took I think 7 pills the first day, 6 the next, 5 the next and so on. When the week was over, I didn't feel any different, so I started to think it didn't work. A week or two after that, I noticed the pain was just a little bit less today than yesterday. That went on for weeks before the 24 hour pain was more or less gone.

Now, 6 years later, I don't really have any doctor ordered restrictions, but there are things in my home gym I won't do, like deadlifts, to protect my back.

Good luck!

Yep, in most cases you will be looking at some permanent restrictions to prevent a recurrence. Once you've lived through the pain once it's a small price to pay to not do it again.

[Dan47]

Originally Posted by Mick

That's what I had, and the thing that worked was an oral steroid pack. I took I think 7 pills the first day, 6 the next, 5 the next and so on. When the week was over, I didn't feel any different, so I started to think it didn't work. A week or two after that, I noticed the pain was just a little bit less today than yesterday. That went on for weeks before the 24 hour pain was more or less gone.

Now, 6 years later, I don't really have any doctor ordered restrictions, but there are things in my home gym I won't do, like deadlifts, to protect my back.

Good luck!

Good to read. They have me on a prednisone burst similar to what you did. Looking forward to a full night of sleep, asap. I like to work out too but have avoided it since this happened. Really messing with me mentally. I’m not trying to be something I’m not but I like to stay in relatively decent shape.

First injury I’ve had that has fundamentally changed my life. Getting old sucks.

[Dan47]

Big thing about this injury too, is having it happen while our federal government runs amok. Not a good time to be physically impaired. Impossible to run, hope I don’t get eaten by the Zombies.

[JRD77VET]

My late FIL had his sciatic nerve flare up and his doctor absolutely forbade him from getting on the tractor to bale.

He asked me if I'd drive the tractor to help out. I immediately said I would do it but let him know he'd have to let me know exactly "how to" on his equipment.

He explains how everything works, what gear to run in and wishes me good luck.

I'm running a full size White 105 tractor and a New Holland baler. I have to steer the tractor with the offset baler, make sure the baler header is set to the correct height while picking up the hay, adjust the speed of the thrower, adjust the direction of the bale thrower making sure they end up IN the wagon so my BIL Les can stack the bales.

It's going pretty good for the first 30 minutes or so and Les happens to look away just as a 50 pound bales goes flying into the wagon, glancing off his head while knocking off his glasses.

I'm thinking "great, I just killed my BIL" but luckily he was OK.

He paid attention the rest of the day

[69camfrk]

I have had it for a minute due to a bulging disc between L4 and L5. Only on my right side, but on occasion feels like someone is trying to jam a hot poker into my hip. Yeah...it can be painful.

[RatDog]

Originally Posted by 69camfrk

I have had it for a minute due to a bulging disc between L4 and L5. Only on my right side, but on occasion feels like someone is trying to jam a hot poker into my hip. Yeah...it can be painful.

I hear ya. Exactly the same for me. Bulging disk, L4/L5, right side, burning poker in my hip. I had the RF Ablation 2 years ago and no problems since.

As I write this in the waiting room, my wife is with the doctor getting the same procedure. Takes about 15 minutes and then we head home.

Good luck,
Steve