The Doctor gave my Dad a series of exercises and stretches to do. Now it's my turn.
My butt hurts and my leg gets tingly.
If I'm hiking, biking, or doing most anything else on my feet, it's fine.
We just gotta get some warmer weather so I can wander the area mountain trails again.

I guess it's fortunate that it's not on my gimpy side. I think.
Yeah, my gimpy leg makes walking enough of a challenge.

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Keep on Chooglin'

Mine got so bad that no type of exercises or stretching would help. I was rolling on the floor in pain. I finally had the minor surgery and was pain free by the time I got home. Well worth it.

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Get off my lawn!

Sorry to hear that. I know a good chiro, if you find yourself on LI, NY some day. Unfortunately, your lack of symmetry is probably gonna keep messing you up. Good luck.

That was probably what did it to my Dad. Having parts of your body shot off and living with shards from a Tiger tank shell embedded in his leg threw him a bit off kilter.

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Keep on Chooglin'

If it starts with a tight lower back,gently stretching the hamstrings helps loosen it up.Sit in a straight back chair with your butt all the way back, raise a leg and keep it there awhile, then do the other.Its easy to stretch too hard,don't do that!
A friend who is a PT taught me this.

Researching it further, I'm suspecting a condition called Piriformis.
Piriformis Syndrome: Symptoms, Causes, Treatments, Exercises, and More
They're calling it uncommon but then again I've got a motor nerve condition called multifocal motor neuropathy that affects 1 in 100,000 people and that throws my body mechanics off.
I'm gonna do some stretches and see if that helps.

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Keep on Chooglin'

Is it on the same side as your wallet? Sometimes it's just that simple.

With all of those complications what I say may be miles off target. I do know that the stretches/exercises than a PT shows you can help a lot of cases, but if it doesn't.....what next.

Have you been to a specialist? With something like the piriformis I think only they would know what to do about it.

I've had sciatica many times but never chronically. I can't imagine living with that pain if there was anything that could be done about it.

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"

I had minor lower back / leg pain for years. Before I retired, I took a bad tumble on the job, and it got a lot worse afterwords. Its usually caused by pressure on a nerve, at least my MRI showed that. Several doctors I talked to warned back surgery usually fell into the rules of three - one third got better, one third no real change, one third worse. Hmmm...

I had let myself get pretty heavy at that point - 6'3, 340 lbs. I dieted, and spent more time stretching and riding my bike. By the time I was down to 250 lbs, the back / leg pain was all but gone. My doctor and I both feel the loss of the pot belly reduced pressure / curvature on my lower spine, and that did the trick.

Long story short, if you have a beer belly, that might be an answer?

Larry

I wish it was but it's the other side.
Good thought.

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Keep on Chooglin'

I haven't seen a doctor yet but I know from experience what that'll involve.
Make an appointment, see a doctor. Make an appointment, get an xray. Make an appointment, get an mri. Make an appointment, see a neurologist. Make an appointment to see a neuromuscular specialist, Make an appointment to see my doctor again. Make an appointment at a physical therapy facility to get some face time to make an appointment for orientation. Make an appointment for some actual therapy. And on and on.
In the meantime when we're not making appointments, driving to appointments or waiting on an appointment, we'll be fighting medical billing because they want to charge us two or three times for one appointment.
Then maybe after a coupla years of going through hell, it might be a little better.
Then we'll pull lotsa blankets out because we can't afford to heat the house.
For the most part that's what we went through with my MMN. I didn't include when the hand specialist cut my arm open because he thought I had radial nerve entrapment (I didn't). I was also given treatments that actually made me worse.
Took me years to get back to where I was before I started making appointments.

Seeing a doctor's gonna be my very last resort.

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Keep on Chooglin'

Good thought but I'm 5' 8" and 163 pounds. I go to the YMCA three times a week and get a good workout.

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Keep on Chooglin'

I don't know any law enforcement officers over 40 years old that don't have issues with sciatica from all those years of overloaded gun belts.

Sorry to hear you've joined those that really do have a pain in the butt.

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NULLI SECUNDUS

Wayne, it's about time that you finally admitted you are a pain in the ***.

Really, I hope you get feeling better soon. I went through a bought of Sciatica eight or so years ago. It's no fun.

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Always Stay Strong!

Snubby I had lower back surgery in 1999. To this day I still have a problem with sciatica every day just some day's are better than others . I even went through the series of shots to the lower back but it did not help as there is a build up of scar tissue rubbing in the nerve . I find it is best if I'm active if I relax over the weekend it tends to bother me more. Good luck I would not wish this on anyone.

That's the thing. When I'm active, no problem.
I'm hoping that when it gets warmer and we're hiking and biking more, that'll take care of it.
It's getting to be like resting hurts.

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Keep on Chooglin'

I get sciatica (I assume that's what it is) now and then. It's very unpredictable. Supposedly it's the sciatic nerve being pinched between vertebrea (I think), so if the spinal issue is solved the nerve pain should end, but it's never so simple.

My operation was in 2002 .. caged L4 & L5 .. the dislocated tail bone can't be fixed ..

pain wakes me from sleep also causes me to limp .. doing exercises before even getting out of bed in the morning will help .. but if you get up and walk your spine will collapse just a fraction and you won't be able to relax the muscles unless you lay back down for an hour and then stretch before getting up ..

The whole idea is to loosen/stretch the muscles before putting pressure on them by walking .. I have a whole booklet on exercises someplace think there are 15 different ones .. a doctor gave it to me years ago .. look up Simple Sciatica Stretches .. you'll find the ones I do most often along with the birddog and superman stretches ..

Edit .. my injury is from being hit from behind by a fork lift truck with a truck engine sideways on a frame on its forks .. threw me forward about 10 feet ..

It can also be caused by a muscle in your butt. The sciatic nerve runs under it and can be compressed by that muscle. sitting crooked can cause it. Since I've been sitting on the floor, the pains subsided so I'm thinking it might be my cushy chair pressing on it.

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Keep on Chooglin'

I've been looking on YouTube for sciatica stretches.
Good advice on doing them before getting up in the morning, makes sense.

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Keep on Chooglin'

Stretching will help most. It sure has with me. Also, keeping that piriformis muscle happy is job number one. Chronic piriformis muscle contraction the can put pressure on the sciatic nerve bundle leading to some championship level pain. A good massage therapist and a good chiropractor can really help.

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Centennial Every Day

I have suffered from lower back pain radiating into the left hip since childhood. The last orthopedic surgeon I saw did imaging of the entire spine. His diagnosis was that the pain is caused by a transitional vertebra. I forget which number it was, but one of them couldn't "decide" whether it wanted to be a lumbar or a sacral vertebra, so it tried to be both. He said that irritates the muscles and basically what I have is chronic muscle spasms.

He also advised against surgery as he said the surgery is risky, painful, and often makes things worse. He did give me stretching exercises which help some.

Most days I have a dull ache that I can live with easily. Some days it's nearly impossible to get out of bed. Sometimes the severe pain lasts a day. Sometimes it lasts a couple of weeks. The pain may improve with activity, but sometimes it gets worse.

As a former coworker once told me . . . "it sucks to be you."

I lay on a pad in the floor. Place both legs on the bed. Scoot up till the mattress is under my knees and I'm as flat on my back as possible lay there to allow muscles to relax. Have had two back surgeries. Both worked great. Right this minute laying in. Bed I'm having a tinge of sciatica. Skipped my exercise yesterday and over did my lifting range on Thursday.
If I wasn't stupid I would be pain free.

I had this condition also (along with many other hurts/injuries). A regular visit to a Coropractor (sic) will help. ALSO carry your wallet in a front pocket. I carry nothing in a rear pocket but a handkerchief. Rethink where you carry your CCW and consider a smaller, lighter weapon.

I've had back, hip, leg and neck problems for years. Been down the PT road a couple of times, had surgery on C3,4,5 and 6 when they put rods and screws (to no avail). been on every pain med from Tylenol to Methadone, with limited success. Sciatica is the worst imaginable pain a human can experience. I wish you the best.

It sounds like you know the drill. Keep moving as able. A "cheap" tens unit gave me some relief. If prescribed an adjustable bed may not cost as much (insurance may cover some $), & let's you raise the head/feet to take pressure off your back/hips. Making small changes, 1 at a time, so you can tell which helps may give some relief. Try changes in your posture/positioning, take smaller steps/strides, bad positions while online don't help. My homemade rheumatiz medicine makes me not care as much.

Get an inversion table. Teeter makes the best ones IMO.

If I'm not being to nosey, what procedure did you have?

Just laying and sitting on the floor seems to help.

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Keep on Chooglin'

Hmm...
A cigar and a glass of Cuervo Gold might just do the trick.

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Keep on Chooglin'

Most likely T12/L1, the thoracolumbar "joint."

I have put off surgery for just the reasons your doctor listed. Finding a good massage therapist and a good chiropractor can really help.

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Centennial Every Day

Your part Indian, I'm just a redneck. So sitting on the floor is not comfortable. I have to lay on it. Got the belt on you made me and fixin to put my J frame and holster you made on and head to the church. Best monies I ever spent on gun leather!

Believe me, I'd rather be sittin' on my cushy recliner.
Really glad ya like the leather.

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Keep on Chooglin'

Hey Wayne, how 'bout an update on how you've been doing with your back? Inquiring minds want to inquire!

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Ukraine -- now more than ever

Pretty much pain free now.
However, I'm now dealing with the after effects of both the meds and lack of activity.
The meds left me with constipation and an enlarged prostate.
The constipation's been dealt with by taking stool softeners and probiotics.
I have an appointment with a urologist next Tuesday. In the meantime my doctor prescribed me Flomax so I can at least tinkle.
Because of the lack of activity and my degenerative peripheral motor nerve condition, my legs are somewhat weakened.
I've been going to the Y and working on getting my leg strength back.
The legs are getting better.
It'll take some time and lotsa work but I'm sure I'll be ready for hiking season.

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Keep on Chooglin'

Snubby, I have been stricken by sciatica a few times. NO FUN. I'm fine now but I have to be real careful. I can't carry a pistol inside pants on my right side. My sciatica is on the right side. I'm old school Kentucky a snub in back pocket and Hawk bill knife front pocket. Working on a front cross draw right now. My back is OK,so far and plan on keeping it that way.

Good luck with all of those ills and God Speed

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My brother is my Hero

Proud of ya buddy. Keep on chooglin'.

Oh, and by the way: having spent more than my share of time in urology offices, I have come up with a killer simile.

"As rare as a smile in a urologist's waiting room."

Hope you won't have too many visits to verify it.

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Ukraine -- now more than ever

you know, there's no real reason you should ever stop sleeping on the floor.
buy a futon.

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susie

I've made reference to "the all night dentist".

I have to chime in here with my .02. I had an episode (my first) about a year ago and it was absolutely the worst thing I've ever been through in my life. I couldn't sleep for 5 days and was in constant searing pain that I can't explain. I am serious about exercise and stretching now...I never...ever...want to do that again. My leg has not been the same since as it cramps very easily and seems to have suffered permanent damage. Regular stretching is required. Doctors did nothing. I get the butt pain and leg pain as a reminder but it is tolerable.

I feel for anyone who has to deal with this.

That's what it was like for me. Nearly a week of writhing in pain on the living room floor.

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Keep on Chooglin'

If being on your feet makes it go away, I doubt it is sciatica.
I have had sciatica three times. Each time, I could only stand with the help of a walker. The pain lasted for 6 to 7 weeks before I was back to normal.
Sitting or lying made me feel better. Not standing.

Depends on what's causing it.
I think mine was caused by something called piriformis. Basically a muscle in my butt was impinging on the sciatica nerve bundle.
One of the diagnostic tools is if it improves when standing.
However, when it got really bad, nothing but laying on the floor would help. Sitting hurt like hell.
6 to 7 weeks of pain? Hopefully the pain subsided as time passed.

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Keep on Chooglin'