With all of these medical questions how about some talk about this nerve that will bring tears to a grown mans eyes.

About a month ago started to have some pain in my lower back and spasm in my thigh and down my right leg. Would be like a charlie horse with no letting up with the pain. I would walk apply heat and take a over the counter pain med and it would let up so I could function.

Went to a chiropractor and he took a couple of x-rays showing me some arthritis on L-4-5 narrow spaces between disc's and would give me a adjustment. Then I would receive a sonic massage on the area where it was sore. Had no problem sleeping with no pain until I would get up in the morning and then it was pain city for a hour or so. After two weeks and still some pain he wasn't satisfied with the progress I was making and said I should go to my medical doctor and get a MRI.

Went to my doctor and said he would set me up for a MRI and two hip x=rays and had a urine test.

Went for the MRI got on the board and the tech said that I would have to lay still for twenty five minutes or the pictures would be blurry or something. I asked the tech if I had to go all the way in this machine because I could see that it would be only a couple of inches from my nose and I new then that I wasn't going to like that. He said yes I had to go all the way in the machine and I said the pain wasn't in my head just in my back and down my leg. He said I wasn't tall enough so I could keep my head out.

Long story short off the table I came and said that this MRI wasn't going to be done on this cowboy. He said we can give you a sedative and I said I don't do drugs and out the door I went. Still some pain through the day but not like before. Can get dressed in the morning as soon as I get up. The discomfort has moved from the side of my thigh to the front.

Well, here is my take on this as a person in the medical field.

You can pull up your big boy undies and do the MRI so you can be diagnosed properly, or you can continue through life like it is now. By your own admission the symptoms are getting worse.

If it is nerve compression (or something else) the sooner you find out about it, the better. If you continue to let it go and it remains undiagnosed you will run the risk of permanent impairment, which could continue to get worse.

Another scenario is that the pain will eventually get to the point that you will do drugs, just to take the edge off, but by then that is all that will work. By that time it may be too late to try other things with any degree of success.

You need to reschedule your MRI, take a mild sedative if you need it to get through the procedure, believe me, you aren't the first one to need it. Get diagnosed properly so that your MD can plan a course of care to help you.

But before the MD can help you, you need to step up to the plate and help him help you by getting the tests that he needs.

OK, that's my 2 cents worth on this one.

ETA: If you carry a wallet in your back pocket on the side that hurts, take it out. If you are still working make sure nothing you wear on your belt presses into your back or buttocks. Sometimes little things help.

bob

About 20 years ago I had the same thing. I started going to a chiropractor and all he did was make my wallet smaller. After 4 months the pain became unbearable so I went to an orthopedic surgeon and he set me up with 2 epiderals. The pain went away immediately and never came back. It felt a little strange when they put the needle in my spine but it made me a new man.

I've had sciatic pain off and on for many years. Just like a tooth ache running down the leg starting at the back of the hip. Chiropractors (many different have been tried) really never helped. Keeping in mind that many things can cause this symptom, I have gotten relief from a good masseuse. I'm talking about a massage of the back, hip and leg from professionally trained masseause. My theory is that it allows the problem to heal itself. The only time this comes back (maybe once or twice a year until I get it worked on), is when I twist or turn just the wrong way. Back trouble runs in one side of my family, and both my sisters have had joint replacement surgery. But I have not had to do that yet. I'm 66 years old and hope to stay out of the hospital as long as I can find a way. Try a good massage. It really might help.

Charlie had a discectomy where the neurosurgeon cut the protruding herniated disc away from where it was irritating the nerve. The pain had gotten to the point where he had bought a new bed, a new car - and nothing helped.

The surgery was practically out-patient. The incision as two inches long. We went in at 6AM and left at 1PM. He went back to work 6 weeks later on the assembly line.

PS - try accupuncture. It works for some.

I have sciatica as a result of my back injury and live with the pain every day. I've had surgery, epidurals and a number of other things but at the end of it all the doctor said there is nothing that can be done.

The point to all this is...one of the problems I had was a bone spur on one of my vertebrae that partially severed my sciatic nerve. You need to get that MRI done to find out exactly what is causing your pain before more damage is done. If you absolutely can not handle that MRI, check to see if there are any others around that are set up different. I had to go to an Open MRI for some pictures the doctor wanted so I didn't have to lay flat on my back, unfortunately it didn't give me the freedom to move he wanted, but it wasn't as claustraphobic as the others.

I am shocked that no one suggested trying an open air MRI machine. I have done both with the open air being more comfortable. Sadly, they both have the irritating noise.

Get the MRI done and get well. The pain relief you will get is worth 25 minutes of discomfort.

when mine acted up some years ago...it was my fat wallet that caused it...3 days of taking it easy and valium cleared it right up

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SWCA#2208
KK4EMO

I injured my back in 1961, put up with it until 1994, The pain in my right leg got so bad I couldnt drive and could barely stand to ride, you can not get in a position where it will quit hurting, I stood it until it got so bad I had a surgey like the moderator said a couple of posts back they trimed 3 protruding disks off and when I woke up I felt better than I had in years, very small cuts on my back, those disks press on the nerves and can make yoy think your going to die from the pain. The point is when it hurts enough you will have it fixed.. Jeff

I was diagnosed with two bulging discs in my lower back and arthritis in both hips and my lower spine. After taking loads of pills that didn't do much more than make me sleep a lot, I decided to go my own route. I started walking again, even though it hurt, changed my diet and started taking glucosamine+ chondontrin(?) supplements available at any Walmart for under 5 bucks. Lost 20 pounds, amazing what a difference it makes. While I am not pain free, and restoring old cars is a thing of the past, I can at least function at a near normal level again, and no surgery!

Barb,

Pretty much the identical procedure for my wife. She too was out of surgery at 9am and walking again at 11:30 that morning. Pain was gone as soon as she awoke from surgery. It was the MRI that turned up her problem.

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Non gratum anus rodentum

As posted before, you need to get that MRI!! I've had three discs
herniate and dissolve; I've been there!
Take their pills, and wear ear-plugs.
Some medical facilities can't afford their own MRI, so they have a portable unit come around on a schedule. No option of open or closed,
it's just whatever they have. X-rays don't show up the spine like an
MRI. Maybe they'll let you look at the results; you can see where
things get tight.
You've already gotten a taste of the alternative, and it will never
get better by itself.
TACC1

My problem went away when I stopped carrying my handgun on my right hip and switched over to cross-draw. I realize that's not a cure for everyone but it was my problem. I now like cross-draw better anyway.

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C & L

If you were a fat person, the doctor would have sent you somewhere that had an open frame machine. My MRI took 45 minutes, and they suggested a blindfold which helped some.

Take Bob R's and the others suggestions about the MRI. The MRI claustrophobia is the least of your worries. It will not get better on it's own and pain medication is a bad thing to get started on. Don't take alcohol as a substitute it too leads to addiction that will cost you dearly. It won't take much to make your situation worse, i.e. a sneeze, lifting a child, reaching for something you dropped etc.. Don't put it off!

I have three partialy herniated discs L-3/L-4/L-5/S-1 from a training injury that ended my career at age 32. I spent 4 months bedridden and it took an additional 9 months to learn to walk again. Wheelchair to a Walker to Crutches to two Canes to one and now on my own for the last 20 years. When I aggravate my back both legs don't work. With a tight sacral/lumbar brace I can do just about all I want to do but carefully. I too moved my wallet up front and went to a crossdraw most of the time and took up walking for exercise. I'm slow but I get there. Got tired of the pain pills and the blur it put me into and went cold turkey with the help of my physician. He was totally against any surgery in my situation. It's a poor substitute for the life before the injury but it's the best one I have and I've learned to enjoy every moment of it pain and all.
Clint Eastwood's writers said it best: 'A man has got to know his limitations and You have to adapt, improvise and overcome.'
Regards
Jim

I have had two MRIs. Neither was much fun. If I ever have to do it again, I intend to get drunk just before I go in.

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Georgia On My Mind

I have been dealing with this for 5 years now,you name it I've done it and have just about gone broke from it...massage,chiro,sports medical,I've spent over 3k in mattresses,got a new car with heated seats and looking at another...I've done everything but surgery,I didnt want to do the pills but I'm like everyone else,you'll get to the point you'll take them and when you do and see the relief you'll want more...you have to be real careful there as I really have to watch it on bad days.
I had the expensive MRI that they couldnt see anything(long story) but basically had to do another,I took the seditive,not cause I didnt like the closed up but I was in pain and couldnt stay that still....got the second done and showed a small impression but nothing major....
I've had cortisone shots and found out where I have alot of artritis,shot cost about 1100 my part and lasted 3 days....I'm also 29 and dealing with this everyday.
I feel you pain and keep this going as you'll soon find out,this will comsume most of your day and daily activities.

Hi:
I have had several MRIs over the years. You might consider an Open MRI if being closed in bothers you. The best advice I can offer you is GET THE MRI!
Jimmy

Two things to say.
1. Before the MRI we had "exploratory surgery". Believe me, the technology route is much better.
2. Kudos to the chiropractor who, when he did not get a beneficial result in a reasonable amout of time, sent you to a medical doctor. Many chiropractors will continue to "treat" when they're getting nowhere. There are plenty of MDs who do the same, as well as dentists.

My Chiropractor fix my problem in just a few visits. I could not stand long enough to pee with out great pain.

Been there, ruptured disk between L4 and L5. I put off surgery for three years until I had to have emergency surgery. Because of putting it off, I have severe nerve damage down both legs. They take turns being numb, kind of like they are asleep.
My advice, fwiiw, is to do whatever it takes to get the damage fixed now, before you end up like me, near crippled.
Steve

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Steve