Suffering Sciatica!!!

[Ed Fowler]

Got hit just like you did, after several Docs went for an MRI, then to great orthropod who found a bone spur stuck on my spinal cord. Instant and after 8 years permanent fix!! When the pain is gone all is beautiful!!

 

[rosefarm]

I am having injections in the sacrum joints on Thursday. Most ortho's don't even check those ever. I will let you know how it goes. He claims relief in 15 minutes....I am excited. Doc is no rookie but very few physicians know what he has seen. Shot is very difficult and very few physicians trained to give it. I am in Baton Rouge for this.VERY sharp doctor!

 

[Jst1mr]

I Hate to Hit the "Like" Button,

Posting a "Like" doesn't seem appropriate when I read all these experiences - but I sure want everyone to know how much I appreciate their sharing of similar experiences. Thankfully, many of you have been able to provide some different directions to explore some different things that might be helpful. I understand there are no guarantees, and what works for one may not work for another...but if it does come to surgery, it sure means a lot to hear from those who have found some relief through that process. Hopefully some less drastic action will help before it comes to that.

There are some amazing folks on this forum...

 

[rwsmith]

A great doctor.....

I am having injections in the sacrum joints on Thursday. Most ortho's don't even check those ever. I will let you know how it goes. He claims relief in 15 minutes....I am excited. Doc is no rookie but very few physicians know what he has seen. Shot is very difficult and very few physicians trained to give it. I am in Baton Rouge for this.VERY sharp doctor!

A great doctor saved my life. He had to convince a cardiologist , who said that there was nothing wrong with me, to examine me. I almost died from cardiomyopathy right there in the hospital. My heart was really enlarged and only running about 30% of its capacity. It was racing to keep up and could have just stopped. It's happened to enough people. Thanks, Dr. Yalla (short for his Indian name)

 

[Old Corp]

Yes, another sciatica pain recipient here. Mine was about 20 years ago, a combination of car wrecks and wrestling resisting suspects as an LEO.
Lived with it best I could for a couple of years, then started seeing a chiropractor. His treatments would bring relief for a few days, then back to where I was. He recommended me to see my G.P., and consider surgery.

G.P. wanted to first see what a few different meds would do. A regimen of back-strengthening exercises, a series of steroids (Prednisone?) and some pain killers.
Went through that and slowly but surely, the pain went away almost. Later, I found my right upper thigh muscle numb. To this day, I believe I could pound a finishing nail in it and not feel it. That's fine, I'll gladly trade a numb thigh for the searing sciatic pain.
Hope you get yours on the run.....

 

[H Richard]

You need to locate a proper orthopedic MD that specializes in backs. You first need to be correctly diagnosed to pin down just what your problem is. Having had 5 back surgeries, and with now being fused from L2 to L5 I have had a little experience. a couple years ago my wife developed severe pain, and she also having had one previous back surgery for a bulged disc just know that was the problem. I had a follow up visit the next week with my Dr and called to see if we could get her in and we did. He asked a lot of questions, manipulated her legs, and determined her back was O.K. but she had a very inflamed sciatic nerve. He got the radiologist to do an MRI and identify the exact spot and administer an injection of cortisone at that spot. Within one day the pain was alleviated and she continued with the "stretching" exercises daily and has had no problem since. If you are within driving distance of Columbia MO PM me and I'll give you his name and info.

 

[the ringo kid]

There is usually no shortage of advice to be had here from sufferers of virtually any medical malady, so how about those unlucky enough to have experience with sciatica? Some background - I have a badly arthritic hip grinding away bone-on-bone, a twice-repaired knee following ligament tears, and several fractures, cracks, and dislocations from an enthusiastic youth, so I am no stranger to pain...I would normally place myself very high on any measure of tolerance to pain. Recently, however, while simply standing up, I was struck with a bolt of pure electrical raw scorching pain - seemingly originating deep inside the left buttock area and flashing down the entire left leg and foot with no less enthusiasm than a full-scale lightning bolt. A real attention-getter, I promise you.


Due to the previously mentioned maladies, I am normally fully armed with some of the most potent painkillers available, but NOTHING in my possession would touch this...I could rest comfortably, but virtually any movement brought the pain on the full blast -all or nothing it seems. I found a way to survive a couple days at home, hoping that a regimen of rest/ice/heat/etc would help, but eventually I gave up and had to be carted (literally) off to the hospital...couldn't even manage the 6 steps down to the garage or even think about driving - not even crawling into the back seat.

I do have some degree of previously-diagnosed spinal stenosis - a bony narrowing of the channel that the spinal cord runs through - that can create pressure points on the nerves and create numbness and tingling issues, but this seemed way too sudden and way too severe to be caused by that. (Surgery may be needed someday, but it has some risks I would prefer to avoid at this time). So, I have the experts tell me that the worst thing to do is sit - the body prefers to move. OK, but I can't even begin to move without unleashing this truly unearthly pain. After 4 days in the hospital I NEED to go home - despite receiving first-class treatment, I NEED to go home (this was just days before Christmas), just can't stand a hospital. I somehow manage to pass the test -(I had to prove I could negotiate a flight of steps before being allowed to leave) -with a hideous grimace and minus about 5 pounds or so of pure pain sweat, I managed an ugly circuit up and down a flight of steps, and off I go to home-sweet-home.

And, finally, along with some at-home physical therapy, something began to help. Turns out it was a stiff regime of the steroid Prednisone, creating some actual sweet relief and allowing me to begin making laps (with walker)around the house...I began to hope. BUT, they immediately began a "taper" - a gradual lowering of the dose of the Prednisone, and with each reduction of dose the symptoms began ratcheting back up. With the last of the steroid now gone, I was perilously close to being all the way back to square one, so I received an emergency prescription extension until next week's re-evaluation. Predictably, now even the higher dosage seems to be losing effectiveness, and any attempts to mobilize, with stretches or exercises, has begun to bring on that full-burst "flare" of truly memorable pain. I have also tried the TENS therapy (an attempt to block pain signals through electrical stimulation), so I guess the next step is some steroid injections directly into the spine... I can tell you, once having tasted some relief from this nuclear-level pain, then feeling it coming back, building and building up worse and worse by the day...kind of like a version of the "Flowers for Algernon" short story....

Assuming I can regain some mobility, does anyone have any experience with anything that might serve to help avoid a relapse? I have been told by more than one individual that yoga has proven helpful...any personal experience with that, or other alternative treatments? Chiropractic adjustments, acupuncture, anything? Alternately, are there issues anyone is aware of with high doses of something like Prednisone over the long term? Thanks for sharing any experiences...

THE ABSOLUTE BEST THING FOR THIS(AND IM ABOUT TO SEE A SPECIALIST FOR THIS PROB ON FRIDAY) IS BACK-STRETCHING EXERCISES. All caps on purpose.

My prob is because I was hurt bad in a car acccident in 92 and two of my discs are still cracked. Ive suffered from constant back pain since the accidentt but, learned how to cope with it w/o drugs etc. Chiropractors DO work but get expensive. Doing back-stretching exercises--FREE. Good luck with your prob. I alkmost posted about this but-I simply forgot to.

May be mine is different from yours? mines a nerve prob-but same title.

 

[the ringo kid]

You need to locate a proper orthopedic MD that specializes in backs. You first need to be correctly diagnosed to pin down just what your problem is. Having had 5 back surgeries, and with now being fused from L2 to L5 I have had a little experience. a couple years ago my wife developed severe pain, and she also having had one previous back surgery for a bulged disc just know that was the problem. I had a follow up visit the next week with my Dr and called to see if we could get her in and we did. He asked a lot of questions, manipulated her legs, and determined her back was O.K. but she had a very inflamed sciatic nerve. He got the radiologist to do an MRI and identify the exact spot and administer an injection of cortisone at that spot. Within one day the pain was alleviated and she continued with the "stretching" exercises daily and has had no problem since. If you are within driving distance of Columbia MO PM me and I'll give you his name and info.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^WHAT HE SAID. Im seeing one Friday.

 

[H Richard]

A cracked vertebra can cause instability and can shift causing recurrent back pain. That happens to be the reason for my last surgery that fused L2, L3, to L4 (which was already fused to L5). Just like a crack in anything, there is the distinct probability it will shift, and cause the problem.

 

[crazyphil]

How do you rest comfortably?

OP's second paragraph He said he could rest comfortably.

 

[The Big D]

My experience.

Suffered on and off from sciatica for a few years but about 25 years ago the effects of it compelled me to lay on my back in a gravel parking lot during a U Maryland v Dook football game. Exquisite pain.

First thing Monday morning I located a chiropractor in my town. ONE SESSION 'FIXED' IT! Though I had a series of follow up sessions and still require a bit of 'tune ups,' I am wholly convinced chiropractic medicine does work for certain ailments.

Hope you feel better soonest.

Be safe.