Low Back/Sciatica Pain

[StaticCling]

I've suffered from back issues for several years and sciatic problems for probably close to 15 years. I've thrown my back out several times, but in 2012 I threw it out to where I couldn't walk for nearly 2 weeks. MRI showed disc issues and I spent around 3 months in physical therapy twice per week.

Things have been pretty good. Until a few months ago, when I started getting a nagging low back pain again. Now it has creeped into a horrible sciatica issue again that is borderline debilitating. I'm in constant pain. I've been hitting the Chiropractor for the last 3 weeks with no positive results. My regular Doctor told me to keep trying the Chiropractor for a week or so, but if I didn't see any relief to start thinking about a pain management Doctor with Epidural/Spinal Cortisone injections. He recommended a Doctor, but he isn't in my Network....No pain meds prescirbed, just Ibuprofen - popping them like candy. I am in fuking agony. Constantly. I can't even sleep right.

So, I found a 'Pain Management' doctor in my Network and made an appointment. Earliest is at the END OF OCTOBER. JESUS HOLY CHRIST.

I've been doing my due diligence. Still going to the Chiro, Stretching, Inversion table, Ice Packs, BUT THIS SUCKS. (Going on Two Months)

Don't think down on me, but I'm thinking about getting a damn sack from a friend of mine to see if it helps. I need to sleep for gods sake. (FYI, I am not a pilot, I just bloviate on the radio)

Either that or call my Doctor and demand Narcotics. I'm at a loss. I guess I'll just continue suffering.

[markids77]

I have used a technique called biofeedback for years as a pain management technique. Cliffs are if you can convince your brain that your back (knees, shoulder etc) does not hurt... it at least hurts a lot less. It works sort of like Yoga meditation but I can now do it as I go about my daily routine. Do a bit of research... it is not for everyone, and is not a panacea but I have so far succeeded in avoiding both narcotic meds AND surgery. I hope you find some relief whatever path you choose!

[StaticCling]

Originally Posted by markids77

I have used a technique called biofeedback for years as a pain management technique. Cliffs are if you can convince your brain that your back (knees, shoulder etc) does not hurt... it at least hurts a lot less. It works sort of like Yoga meditation but I can now do it as I go about my daily routine. Do a bit of research... it is not for everyone, and is not a panacea but I have so far succeeded in avoiding both narcotic meds AND surgery. I hope you find some relief whatever path you choose!

That's kind of like Dr. Sarno. There is definitely something to it, I have applied it to other aspects of my life and it's definitely real. I was actually talking to my regular Doc about that, and he believes it too. Interestingly enough, he's a Japanese guy that's into that sort of stuff

But with my past history and everything else, he says I have an actual physical problem that may require surgery (eventually), this shit is real. Unfortunately.

[markids77]

I suffer from degenerative disc disease, arthritis and herniations of various severity in lumbar discs 1 through 5. I have osteoarthritis in both knees and in my left shoulder and right hip. My blood work shows redlines for inflammation indicators, I am 60 pounds overweight and a piece of my left hip is holding that collarbone together. My shit is real too, and I don't medicate at all unless you count Scotch as an analgesic. There are multiple surgeries somewhere in my future... I only meant to suggest it is possible to postpone if you have the will and the way.

[Wathen1955]

Have you thought about acupuncture or a chiropractor?

[Frizzle]

Hows your back strength? Have you also gained some weight in your abdominal area recently?

[Giraffe (He/Him)]

I ruptured a disc in my back at 40 years old. This is exactly when I got serious about my fitness routine. I'm convinced it works.

[Chris Fowler]

I have a herniated disc at L5-S1. Not bad enough for surgery, but plenty bad for pain.

I battle sciatica, and for the last several years tingling and weakness in my left leg (loss of about 50% strength).

I regularly visit my chiropractor. He's helped a lot. Especially the stretches he has me focus on.

I've tried acupuncture to little result as well.

I also use an inversion table, but that really sucks when the back is at it's worst.

I've been seeing a pain management doc for about a year and a half. At one point I was up to 1200mg Gabapentin, 100mg Tramadol, and 4mg Tizanidine 3x/day. I had some improvement, but not worth the side effects. Recently got off of most of that. No Gabapentin, Tizanidine only at night, and Tramadol as needed. Also take some natural anti-inflammatories: Bromelain, Turmeric, Magnesium...

Went through some physical therapy, but $150 per 30 minute visit just to have them go through the exercises I was already doing wasn't really worth the money.

The best stretch for me when sciatica flares up is a version of this one:



Pulling the knee toward the opposite rib cage and finding the spot that really pulls and then just relax into it for 20-30 seconds.

Sadly, the best medicine for me is hydrocodone. I'd rather not take it. Even worse, though, is that they've recently made hydrocodone C2, so they don't prescribe it anymore.

One other thing that helps at times is an EMS unit: http://www.amazon.com/Relief-Pak-13-1309-Digital-Channel/dp/B00IFA5X72/ref=pd_sim_sbs_328_3?ie=UTF8&refRID=19ZRS2AJA3XNRWACQYBP&dpID=41zovM6tIgL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL320_SR320%2C320_
Would love to get back to "normal."

[Giraffe (He/Him)]

I do that Piriformus deal every morning when I wake up. It takes 5 minutes and you can feel things stretching. (Didn't know it had a name) Knee to the chest, hold, switch. I don't cross the leg though I just pull one knee up.

[StaticCling]

Originally Posted by Wathen1955

Have you thought about acupuncture or a chiropractor?

Both, been going to Chiro religiously. Acupuncture in the past, not lately.

[StaticCling]

Originally Posted by Thomas

I do that Piriformus deal every morning when I wake up. It takes 5 minutes and you can feel things stretching. (Didn't know it had a name) Knee to the chest, hold, switch. I don't cross the leg though I just pull one knee up.

I have been doing that one every day for the past week as well, also the "Pilates" style push up to stretch out the lower back. Marginal help for me at this point. I guess I'll keep trying until the appointment. Perhaps I'll get better between now and then, but for now I'm just going to have to live with it I guess.

I'm going to the Chiro tomorrow and again a few days after that. My eating lately has been clean, and I am trying to lose weight. I'm overweight, but not obese or anything. Not a fast food or soda junky, but there is room for improvement. I like to drink, so that certainly is detrimental. I used to lift regularly, I definitely need to start moving more again...

[Chris Fowler]

Originally Posted by Thomas

I do that Piriformus deal every morning when I wake up. It takes 5 minutes and you can feel things stretching. (Didn't know it had a name) Knee to the chest, hold, switch. I don't cross the leg though I just pull one knee up.

that's how I do it as well. But this was the best picture I could find to represent what was going on.

[StaticCling]

Originally Posted by Chris Fowler

that's how I do it as well. But this was the best picture I could find to represent what was going on.

I've been doing it by putting my foot up against the wall/closest door and crossing my leg across the opposite knee and pulling in toward the opposite shoulder...kind of the same concept. I can feel the stretch in my glutes etc.

[mrvette]

I born with an extra Lumbar vert....they call it spondalitis L6, and so about age of puberty ~13 y/o I have had bad back pains, they subsided a bit along about age 30 but with general arthritis, I found winters in Md. to be a BAD LONG PAIN so moved to Florida back in '97, we sure enough the shit caught up with me, Last Feb I had a really bad attack, worse then in my teens/twenties.....ER Xrays and found out my entire spine is trash, no cartilage between two of the Lumbars and they are growing together as a result, but my spine is essentially trash from neck to ass.....and it hurts a LOT all the time, when in the hospital I got some pills that were a huge relief Methocarbamol 750 mg same as Robaxin 750 mg......so with Ibuprofen 600 mg twice a day, when my spine kicks up I pop one of them, but caution is that it's a woose pill, snore.....and yes, I drink about 500 ml of 80 proof Canadian over ice with water.....snore by 10 pm..... age 71` here....

[boracayjohnny]

Damn! I didn't realize how many folks had back problems. Add me to the list although not as much as you guys. I've thrown it out three or four times. Exercises, time off, and then easy at work has always been the cure.

[Mike Mercury]

you can get good/fast relief with Prednisone... in injection form. The steroid pill "pack" doesn't work all that well for me. Direct injection (in the buttock) relieves the pain greatly in 48 hours.

But, Prednisone has it's side effects. I now try to avoid activities that would cause a back flare-up.

[Cybercowboy]

The one thing that will actually really help is to lose as much weight as possible and strengthen your core muscles. You do not need to lift heavy weights, as a matter of fact nothing more than 25 lbs, perhaps 50 lbs max while doing leg exercises like squats and lunges. Sit-ups on an exercise ball, planks/pushups/leg raises. Do this every day if you can, and it will help more than you can imagine. You can either rehab the disc injury or just let it linger. My doctor told me that if I wasn't in constant pain, and could sleep at night, to avoid surgery, but that was back in 2001. Now they have arthroscopic laser surgery, which may be something you need to consider if the pain is too much.

[04 commemorative]

weed?

[Chris Fowler]

Originally Posted by Mike Mercury

you can get good/fast relief with Prednisone... in injection form. The steroid pill "pack" doesn't work all that well for me. Direct injection (in the buttock) relieves the pain greatly in 48 hours.

But, Prednisone has it's side effects. I now try to avoid activities that would cause a back flare-up.

Hard to beat the side-effect I get from Prednisone: intractable hiccups...hiccups several times/day for 2-3 hours at a time, without the ability to get rid of them.

It's on my official "do not take" list...

I can do some of the Prednisone alternatives, but they do nothing for my back. They get used once every 2-3 years for sinus infections...