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Sciatica pain

Started by drobertson, December 13, 2012, 10:59:38 AM

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drobertson

Good day folks, I was just wondering if anyone has ever had to deal with the sciatic nerve pain?  And if so how did you go about rectifing it?  I have an MRI scheduled for Jan 3, just wondering if anyone has had this done, and what I might expect,  thanks,  david
only have a few chain saws I'm not suppose to use, but will at times, one dog Dolly, pretty good dog, just not sure what for yet,  working on getting the gardening back in order, and kinda thinking on maybe a small bbq bizz,  thinking about it,

Dan_Shade

I've had it.  It stinks.  Mine finally went away, but flares up if I do something stupid.
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doctorb

Sciatica-

Pain down the back of the leg and sometimes all the way into the foot.  Caused in younger patients most often by a herniated lumbar disc.  In older patients it can be caused by a combination of degenerative disc disease, facet arthritis, and spinal stenosis.  Often is relieved by rest, anti-inflamatories, loss of weight, abdominal strengthing, and stretching exercises.  May need long- term anti-inflamatory meds and sometimes steroids, both oral and by injection.  Last resort is surgery.  Indications are intractable pain not relieved by the above and significant muscle weakness.  Should  be used as a last resort or to resolve an acute, debilitating nerve compression.
My father once said, "This is my son who wanted to grow up and become a doctor.  So far, he's only become a doctor."

drobertson

The pain is on both sides, predominantly on the right, going to the calve, yesterday even in the bottom of the foot. Rest helps, but then I go to work, and Hello again.  Paralyzing, motion stopping pain. I am on a nerve pill for now, gabapentin, not much going on with this, Alleve, (generic) for whatever it might do, it did help with the knee pain, after an ACL, patela graff operation. This is a mess, 51 years old, for the most part very active, soccer, and baseball coach for years while the boys were growing up. And I have a feeling the around 15 years of martial arts might have had some impact.  Just saying, don't even know what I am saying, I guess just felt like whinning,  sorry bout that, I never have been shut down like this before, except of course the ACL, but this is good and has been since 04',  thanks guys! it helps just to vent it out at times.   David
only have a few chain saws I'm not suppose to use, but will at times, one dog Dolly, pretty good dog, just not sure what for yet,  working on getting the gardening back in order, and kinda thinking on maybe a small bbq bizz,  thinking about it,

doctorb

Sciatic down both legs means that you have either a large, central herniated disc ( large enough to put pressure on both right and left sided nerve roots) or spinal stenosis.  Sorry you're hurting.  good l;uck and get that MRI.
My father once said, "This is my son who wanted to grow up and become a doctor.  So far, he's only become a doctor."

drobertson

thanks doc going to happen the 3rd of Jan. this has been going on for many years, just of late the paralyzing condition,, take care and have a Merry Christmas brother!  david
only have a few chain saws I'm not suppose to use, but will at times, one dog Dolly, pretty good dog, just not sure what for yet,  working on getting the gardening back in order, and kinda thinking on maybe a small bbq bizz,  thinking about it,

WmFritz

Quote from: doctorb on December 13, 2012, 12:00:29 PMOften is relieved by rest, anti-inflamatories, loss of weight, abdominal strengthing, and stretching exercises.  May need long- term anti-inflamatory meds and sometimes steroids, both oral and by injection.  Last resort is surgery.

doctorb's advise is word for word how my surgeon explained it to me. If I could can expand on it a bit;

I injured my lower back in my mid twenties and had a laminectomy at 37. My Dr. recommended the typical PT, stretching and walking. He compared our spine to a radio tower and our stomach / back muscles to the guy wires. None of the physical therapy helped my pain. It felt like I had a knife blade in my left cheek with the pain wrapping around my thigh and into my calf. My left foot was numb most of the time. Another Dr explained that the numbness was a concern because eventually nerves would permanently die off. 

After another consultation with my surgeon, I wanted him to order the surgery. He would not. He said it was up to me to decide when I was ready. I was, so he scheduled it. That was 17  years ago and over all I've felt good. I  occasionally have to take a few ibruprofen for stiffness but, most of the time, walking regularly will get me back on track. My only regret was not getting the surgery 10 years sooner.

Hope your feeling better soon David  smiley_sun

Bill
~Bill

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1959 Detroit built Ferguson TO35

drobertson

Thanks Bill! this means allot to me, I just had a friend a few years older call me from the hospital, he just had some work done on his back, and although under meds he could honestly say his pain was around  a 3 on the scale. I will get the MRI just after the new year, detuctable issues on the insurance plan. This has steadily gotten worse over the last two months, really setting me back on income, as you might guess.  I run my mill for a living, two kids still in college.  My wife is an elemtary teacher but this only goes so far in our present economy.  At this point I will do whatever is necessary, the pain is as you already know pretty bad, paralyzing when it hits. Thanks again Bill, and doc, just talking about it helps to calm a few other nerves,  Merry Christmas to you!   david
only have a few chain saws I'm not suppose to use, but will at times, one dog Dolly, pretty good dog, just not sure what for yet,  working on getting the gardening back in order, and kinda thinking on maybe a small bbq bizz,  thinking about it,

SPIKER

Spent MANY years suffering with left side.   I was injured in '92 or so and about 4 years ago I finally had to have surgery that didnt work out real well for me.   It was too many years and now I have constant nerve pain (dead nerves) left below knee on outside and left foot are pins & needles 90% of the time and the other 10% it is the fire/burning.   I still get around but no where near good...
So DON't put it off very long as the longer the nerves are pinched the greater the chance the damage becomes none repairable.

I use a LOT of Naproxen (Alieve) and other prescriptions.

I was on High dose of the Gabapentin stuff, it worked for me for about a month then I had some serious side effects (started loosing my vision.)   I still get days where a black spot shows up in my vision.

Mark
I'm looking for help all the shrinks have given up on me :o

drobertson

Mark, so sorry to hear about your condition man, I have been told not to wait, I just have to make it to the new year then get the ball rolling.  It really is amazing just how sharp of a pain exist in our bodies just waiting to get out.  Take care brother,  Merry Christmas!   david
only have a few chain saws I'm not suppose to use, but will at times, one dog Dolly, pretty good dog, just not sure what for yet,  working on getting the gardening back in order, and kinda thinking on maybe a small bbq bizz,  thinking about it,

Jeff

I was on that Gabapentin stuff back in 2005 for my other shoulder pain, and I can tell you, if any drug I ever had to take could be considered evil, it was that one.
Just call me the midget doctor.
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drobertson

Wow! my daughter, albeit she is a new nurse, got her BSN bout a year ago, and now at Milwakee childrens, blew a lid when she heard I was on them. I asked the doc, she said quit them if you want,  they helped her, I think I will quit them, no results anyway,  thanks guys,  david
only have a few chain saws I'm not suppose to use, but will at times, one dog Dolly, pretty good dog, just not sure what for yet,  working on getting the gardening back in order, and kinda thinking on maybe a small bbq bizz,  thinking about it,

Ron Scott

I've been on Gabapentin a couple times also, but Doctor took me off it soon. Too many possible side affects, not good.
~Ron

thecfarm

My wife been on gabapentin for years due to a truck wreck. Has really helped her with her"spells" she use to have. She is allergy to ALOT of drugs too. When we read the side affects and it says it can cause any of the 50 side effects she will get at least one of the 50 listed. We call it the wonder drug. It works so well with her,we wonder why she does not have a reaction to it. I know everyone is different.
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drobertson

The doc here said it is a conservative approach for a spastic nerve, that most insurance companies want to see some form of conservative measures before moving on to more drastic measures.  She had years ago a disk issue in her neck and claimed the drug saved her.  I have been on them for one bottle and no sign of any improvement.  I would rather just ice than drug, since the ice seems to be working and the drug has not. It really is humbling to be slowed to this level of movement.
only have a few chain saws I'm not suppose to use, but will at times, one dog Dolly, pretty good dog, just not sure what for yet,  working on getting the gardening back in order, and kinda thinking on maybe a small bbq bizz,  thinking about it,

Glenn

I can relate to the sciatica pain. About 7 or 8 years ago my leg got so sore i had trouble walking, had to walk kinda of dragging my leg.  Couldn't sit for very long and standing hurt too. To make a long story short it was a pinched nerve in my L5s1 vert I think ??  Anyway the pain would go right to the tips of my toes on my right leg.  Worse pain i have ever had.  My doctor told me I wouldn't be able to do the type of work I was doing anymore - logging foreman and hardwood lumber grader.  It really ticked me off and i didn't accept that.  I have worked in the bush all my life and started cutting with a chain saw at around 12 yrs old, driving tractor around 10.   I read everything i could about it and did all kinds of exercises for about 18 months. I'm perfect now and this year became a police officer.  I can do all the physical fitness and running neccessary for the job without any problem.  I think what helped me the most was hanging upside down for about 10 mins a couple of times a day - believe it or not.  The more i walked the better i would feel but at the beginning it would take me 20 mins to walk one block.

drobertson

Thanks Glenn, I have the inversion table, and have been hanging around.  the last time almost made it worse for me which promted me to get the mri.  I will find out in two weeks what the real damage is.  Happy for your new career! Very honorable,  david :christmas:
only have a few chain saws I'm not suppose to use, but will at times, one dog Dolly, pretty good dog, just not sure what for yet,  working on getting the gardening back in order, and kinda thinking on maybe a small bbq bizz,  thinking about it,

proteus

i had mine act up once in a while. when it got bad i received a epidural(sp?). After 10yr and 3 more shots, i saw a specialist and made the choice to have surgery. i went to the hospital in the morning and was home that night. I my case it was the best desicion. it has been 4 yr since the operation and i have had no pain. Wish i had done it sooner.
Greg

Slab Slicer

I've actually had this in one form or another since I was around 12 years old. Somrtimes the pain is crippling, and other times it just pops up to remind me that I have issues with it. I'm now 48, and have found chiropracic treatment, ibuprofen, and ice to be the best treatment for me. The ice, and ibuprofen reduce the inflammation of the disc that is pressing on the nerve root, and the chiropractic puts everything back into alignment. Keeping a strong set of abdominal muscles is another key. It helps tremendously with low back support.
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drobertson

Thanks for the note slabslicer,  I have used the chiropractor for years, and the ice is a good thing for sure.  Glad yours is doing better, you know how bad this thing is, really stinks,   :christmas:   david
only have a few chain saws I'm not suppose to use, but will at times, one dog Dolly, pretty good dog, just not sure what for yet,  working on getting the gardening back in order, and kinda thinking on maybe a small bbq bizz,  thinking about it,

sawguy21

I was awake most of the night, I could not find a position that would relieve the pain. Have had it for years, I had to give up my sales job because I couldn't stay on my feet for hours at a time. Can't sit for long periods either. Ice and Tylenol seem to be my best friends now
old age and treachery will always overcome youth and enthusiasm

drobertson

I know the feeling man, it is a killer, never would have thought this would have brought me down!  It just kinda makes me made.  Jan. 3  I will find the culprit, after that only time will tell what will be done.  This cannot and will not go on.  I know there are ways to fix it,  and it sounds like the K plan will come into play.   :christmas:
only have a few chain saws I'm not suppose to use, but will at times, one dog Dolly, pretty good dog, just not sure what for yet,  working on getting the gardening back in order, and kinda thinking on maybe a small bbq bizz,  thinking about it,

Ron Wenrich

OK, now I'll give the unconventional way I have handled it.  I've had sciatic pain off and on for a good number of years.  I didn't go to a medical doc.  I went to a chiropractor.  Mine did use Xrays, so it isn't just shot in the dark stuff.  First thing he did was to give some therapy to loosen up the muscles in my lower back.  The reason being is that you over compensate for your back being out of whack.  That causes your muscles to go into spasm, and that's where your pain comes from, as it knots around the sciatic nerve.  Pain pills mask the symptoms.

After a few weeks, he started getting the back into shape.  It took awhile, and I'm not really convinced that his adjusting cured the sciatica or if it got better on its own.  I've had a couple of bouts since then.

The last time I finally found a cure for me.  I found a book that talked about trigger points, and was written by a physical therapist up in Canada.  Its basically the muscles knotting around the sciatic nerve.  By pushing on the pressure points, that relieves the spasm and the muscle relaxes and the pain is gone.  I tired his technique, which meant I had to lay on a tennis ball, and the point was located on my hip.  Within 30 minutes, the pain was gone and I haven't had it since.  The guy did go into great detail about back pains, and cited the medical research on it.  Like all research, there are conflicting views.

I'm not a doctor like Doctorb, but I can say that it worked for me.  Whenever I tell people about the process, they think I'm nuts.  I do know that it worked better than the chiropractor, and I never needed the pain pills.  It hasn't returned.  Your results may vary.
Never under estimate the power of stupid people in large groups.

drobertson

Thanks Ron, I will try that tennis ball technique, I have heard this , just have'nt tried it yet.   :christmas: :christmas:
only have a few chain saws I'm not suppose to use, but will at times, one dog Dolly, pretty good dog, just not sure what for yet,  working on getting the gardening back in order, and kinda thinking on maybe a small bbq bizz,  thinking about it,

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