Sciatic Nerve Help Please!

[StormRider]

Does anybody know how to cure Sciatic Nerve pain? Mine has been killing me for weeks now. Some days are better than others. Today is really bad. Maybe good back stretches? Alcohol and drugs only work temporarily. I’ve been rendered almost immobile at the time of year when I should be getting back into skiing shape.

[Vinman]

depends on what is causing the sciatic nerve pain. Pain that radiates down the butt and back of the leg from the sciatic nerve can be caused by several things.
1. protruding disk
2. compression of a spinal nerve root from the vertebrae/vertebral misalignment
3. tight piriformis muscles

just to name a few

the best advise I could give you, before you go doing a lot of stretching and rehab that may or may not help or gettting "adjusted" by a chiro, go see an ortho or a back specialist MD to realy see what the deal is. Then after they know what the problem is then ask for some physical therapy.

[EPSkis]

After seeing a chiro for 4 months, I ended up figring out the problem myself.
.
.
.
.
.
Regular & constructive excercise.


Of course, you could have a REAL problem, one which isn't solved by either chiro's or excercise. If so - you're only gonna get the answers from a surgeon - and that's NOT the way you want to go.

[StormRider]

Yeah, I guess I should see what the doc has to say. The last thing I want is to see a surgeon.

Thanks guys.

[splat]

Find a practicing orthobionomist near you. Look up OrthoBionomy on the web for a directory. Problem solved. Don't waste your time elsewhere.

[yogachik]

Listen to splat. He knows of what he speaks on this subject.

[Trackhead]

Vinman is right on the money.

I had a bad case of sciatica after merely playing with my dog. Lasted for six weeks, down the right 'cheek', right leg and calf. Horrible.

I took NSAIDS (non-steroidal antiinflammatory), Motrin 800mg three times a day with food. Did stretching exercises for the piriformis muscle, and tried to rest. Avoid heavy lifting, don't sit or stand for too long at a time.

It probably lasted for six weeks because I skied 4 days a week after the initial injury. I still get it, albight much milder. But the initial durations was crippling.

You'll get over it. You probably don't need to rush out and get a multi thousand dollar MRI unless the problem is recurrent and you are getting paresthesia in your leg, can't pee or poop. That kind of thing.

Good luck.

[Zeedashbo]

mine was caused by a bulging disc and was super painful until i went and got my steroid injections. it's a surgical procedure even though all they do is stick a big needle in you back. you have to get an mri first and then talk to the injection doc. in washington you only get three a year but my nerve inflammation went down after the second one. i don't know how bad your nerve is, but mine was pretty bad though, my leg on the side of the pain was going numb at an alarming rate, and if the injections didn't work i would have had to get surgery. also do tons of stretching, your hip flexor if it isn't stretched out can bring a ton of back pain. if you have good insurance go after it and get it taken care of. get the injections, go to physical therapy and whatever else you need. don't let it get worse.

[Skidancer]

Funny you should post on sciatica as mine just started acting up today. I've had it on and off for over 10 years, been to physical therapy, physiatrists, chiropractors, exercising my back muscles more, etc. I've found that lying on a bag of ice is the best for immediate pain (maybe on a hill of snow!!!), Tylenol and/or Advil, jacuzzying and sleeping flat on my back help, but again it depends on what's causing yours (ice does help, though).

I've learned to avoid certain movements that seem to bring it on. In my case, it's twisting to the side when not standing up straight (like you're doing "The Twist"). Of course, my current condition is caused by forgetting that as I was taking a Hip Hop dance class. Now I pay......

Thank the Norse Gods, skiing never makes it worse or causes it to happen. The hard thing about sciatica is that the pain you feel is not where the nerve is being compressed (its a LONG nerve) so it's hard to track it down. My chiropractor did the best job of all, but I hate paying for three times a week adjustments!

Good luck with your back!

[splat]

Ask hardrider how his got fixed when it got to the point he could barely walk.

[slim]

Ask hardrider how his got fixed when it got to the point he could barely walk.

I'm pretty sure you hooked him up with a butt massage. Right?

[splat]

Yeah, his pain was deep, so I gave him the Punani list of SF bars where he could get hung by his wrists and worked over correctly.

[Zeedashbo]

the body bridge huh? too bad my $425 is going to skiing. looks pretty comfortable though.

[mtgoat]

Check out this link. Got some good info on back pain.

http://www.brainspinepro.com/patienteducation/pe_aabnp.html

[AltaPowderDaze]

stromrider,
If you're lookiing for a good stretch, try putting your legs in a figure four like sliding into a base. then pull your straight leg in to a bent position. now pull your knee across your body or back to you. you can also stretch the groin by pushing the leg out. i have had 3 epidurals and one back surgery. one more to go. i had sciatic pain so bad that when i walked across the parade grounds at my school i would fall down. my good leg would not get the signal from my brain to move. you can go to a good ortho and get diagnosed simply by the reflex actions you have from your knee, ankle and planter. it sounds to me like you have a real problem. better to get it taken care of now, when pt is still an option, than when surgery is a must.

[StormRider]

Thanks for all the tips Mags. I don’t think mine is as bad as some of your cases, but I do need to get it checked out. Of course my first call has to be to my insurance company to make sure I go through the right channels so they don’t screw me out of paying for any of it.

[KIRinPNW]

I hurt my back two years ago skiing. I didn't do anything about it, lost my insurance and now I have progressed to pins and needles in my calf and foot, with explosions of number 8-9 type pain when I get up after sitting. I was lazy because I could work around my pain but now I'm way worse. Get this shit taken care of is all I can say.

I would also be careful with starting stretching routines without consulting somebody. I think I hurt myself worse by stretching things out before getting an MRI or X-ray and have talked to tothers with the same experience.

My two cents. Best of luck.

[starity]

Hello,
i have sciatic nerve pain too. I read at http://www.sciaticnerve.net/exercises/ that i should start slow but i cant even do those very exercises. Any advice. Should i take pain meds so i can do them or back to the doctor?

[tapsee]

The causes of sciatica are many but it most commonly results from either a herniated disk or spinal stenosis. Depending on the cause, the pain of acute sciatica usually goes away on its own in four to eight weeks or so.A thorough diagnostic work-up will reveal the cause.Fortunately, sciatica typically resolves without the need for surgery in about 4-6 weeks. However, if any neurologic deficits develop, such as a foot drop or changes in normal bowel and/or bladder functions, then immediate surgery is usually performed.For acute sciatica without any neurologic deficit, the use of epidural steroid injections can be very beneficial in resolving the discomfort.

[JohnMunoz]

Try sciatica exercises. My friend had already tested and proven this one. Hopefully it will work on you also.

sciatic nerve pain relief (http://www.sciaticatreatment.net/)

[biff chalupa]

bump for good info. this is the worst.

[buildakicker]

Find a practicing orthobionomist near you. Look up OrthoBionomy on the web for a directory. Problem solved. Don't waste your time elsewhere.

Orthobionomy is super great for sure. There is a great person in far-norcal if ur up here. Check out a good acupuncturist too. That helped my l5s1 nerve issue.

[brraaap802]

I'm not sure yet if disc herniated or just inflammed. It's cranking on the L5 nerve. I've had some success with IMS from my physio (similar to accupuncture but needles don't stay in; it's a weird feeling) to take some of the edge off. I hurt it last weekend so I'm sure I have a few weeks to go still before the pain is gone.

[buildakicker]

I had ims done initially. The acupuncture seemed to stay where the ims didn't. The acupuncturist also has me on a certain diet to keep the inflammation to a min. It's been working for me now 3 years. Lifestyle changes for sure. As long as I can ski pow!

[brraaap802]

Thx. Just started gabapentin - we'll see what happens.

[bendtheski]

The causes of sciatica are many but it most commonly results from either a herniated disk or spinal stenosis. Depending on the cause, the pain of acute sciatica usually goes away on its own in four to eight weeks or so.A thorough diagnostic work-up will reveal the cause.Fortunately, sciatica typically resolves without the need for surgery in about 4-6 weeks. However, if any neurologic deficits develop, such as a foot drop or changes in normal bowel and/or bladder functions, then immediate surgery is usually performed.For acute sciatica without any neurologic deficit, the use of epidural steroid injections can be very beneficial in resolving the discomfort.
This is probably a worst case scenario, or close to it...
In Jan 2003 I herniated my L4-5 disk. Started out with the Chiro who happened to be my roommates brother, and an honest dealer. I had seen him on and off for a few years for occasional muscle spasms and the like. He immediately recognized this as being more serious than anything I had seen him for before.

I was walking with a pronounced limp, had pins and needles, and pain on a 8-9 level after sitting for 15-20 min. The Chiro suggested I go immediately to an orthopedic.

The orthopedic gave me cortizone or similar prescription for a week, and when that didn't provide relief, scheduled an epidural/steroid injection into the affected area. The steroid injection gave me relief for one day, at which time my orthopedic scheduled an MRI.

The MRI revealed a herniated L4-5 disk. By this time it had been approx. 5 weeks since the original injury, caused by a hard, twisting compression while skiing bumps on New Years. The orthopedic referred me to a neourosurgeon and I had surgery the second week in February. Micro-lumbar laminectomy/disectomy.

I experienced immediate relief, and regained a good deal of the strength that was lost due to pressure on the sciatic nerve (S1). Rehab was pretty easy, and I was back to abusing myself on moguls the following December.

I would say that surgery for this type of thing should always be a last option, and there are many other options that may provide significant relief. I had chronic lower back problems leading up to herniating a disk, but herniating a disk is a whole other level of injury/pain/discomfort than simple muscle tears/spasms, and I think I made the right decision opting for surgery.

Ultimately, it was the foot-drop and the MRI that made my mind up for me.

[BigKuba]

Bump again because this shit fucking blows. This is round 3 or 4 for me over the last ~12 years, and this time it's the other leg. Had previously herniated L4-L5 and L5-S1, had a cortisone shot for the L4-L5 in late 2008 that worked -- got me from 100% bedridden to 100% pain free in 72hrs and had been good until now.

Thankfully no pins/needles down the leg/foot (knock on wood), just a stake doused in battery acid being driven into my lower back/butt-cheek.

I've got my PT regimen dialed from last time and my benefits are much worse than last time this happened, so I'm not so keen on running around doctors who are going to tell me what I already know.

Odd thing I noticed this time -- hip flexors + random muscles around the hip/pelvis are sore -- and although I've ridden a bike a few times, it wasn't strenuous enough to warrant this. Almost feels like my lower back got knocked out of alignment and is staying there. I've been working from home and stretching for hours each day, but can't get things to click back into place. Am I just imagining things? Is it worth seeing a chiro (haven't had the best experience in the past), and if so, can y'all recommend one in the Denver area (downtown, but more than willing to drive for a good one)?

Also, what's the best sleep position to let this thing heal or at least not get more aggravated? I've heard on one's back, back with a pillow under the knees, and stomach, but it seems like the extension or flexion debate. It doesn't help that I sleep like a murder scene body outline, but I can try to be more disciplined.

[DeutschBag]

Does anyone have any more information on Ortho Bionomy? For instance, how many sessions would one have to go to? How often? I DO have some practitioners near me, but if I had to go every day or two for treatments, it would be very, very difficult. Especially with our twins due in the next two weeks.

I had an Ozone injection in my L4/L5 a bit over a month ago in lieu of surgery and at my neurosurgeon's advice. It was supposed to fix my disc herniation. It didn't. Things are only getting worse. I've started therapy (again), and after three sessions in four days, can barely walk today. The tingling and burning in my left foot is constant and has been for six months. Today is one of the worst days I've had in a long time. I'm having sciatica down both legs now and tingling in both feet and bad knee pain in my right knee. WTF?? German docs will only give me Voltaren (dicoflenac) and it does absolutely nothing for me. I am seriously at a loss on what to do next and the only answer I'm getting from the Neurosurgeon is, "do more Gymnastiks/Pt". I'll probably end up in the ER tomorrow if this doesn't get better. It would be the third time a PT session has ended up with me in ER. So worn down from all this shit.

[brraaap802]

This is probably a worst case scenario, or close to it...
In Jan 2003 I herniated my L4-5 disk. Started out with the Chiro who happened to be my roommates brother, and an honest dealer. I had seen him on and off for a few years for occasional muscle spasms and the like. He immediately recognized this as being more serious than anything I had seen him for before.

I was walking with a pronounced limp, had pins and needles, and pain on a 8-9 level after sitting for 15-20 min. The Chiro suggested I go immediately to an orthopedic.

The orthopedic gave me cortizone or similar prescription for a week, and when that didn't provide relief, scheduled an epidural/steroid injection into the affected area. The steroid injection gave me relief for one day, at which time my orthopedic scheduled an MRI.

The MRI revealed a herniated L4-5 disk. By this time it had been approx. 5 weeks since the original injury, caused by a hard, twisting compression while skiing bumps on New Years. The orthopedic referred me to a neourosurgeon and I had surgery the second week in February. Micro-lumbar laminectomy/disectomy.

I experienced immediate relief, and regained a good deal of the strength that was lost due to pressure on the sciatic nerve (S1). Rehab was pretty easy, and I was back to abusing myself on moguls the following December.

I would say that surgery for this type of thing should always be a last option, and there are many other options that may provide significant relief. I had chronic lower back problems leading up to herniating a disk, but herniating a disk is a whole other level of injury/pain/discomfort than simple muscle tears/spasms, and I think I made the right decision opting for surgery.

Ultimately, it was the foot-drop and the MRI that made my mind up for me.

Glad to hear the rehab is ok. My MRI's show herniate L4-L5 with a disc extrusion or disassociation. Disc possible sequestered, or at the least there is a fragment floating around jammed into the nerve. I was told it would be unlikely for it to solve itself without surgery so I suspect that's where I'm headed. Season over.

[bendtheski]

Glad to hear the rehab is ok. My MRI's show herniate L4-L5 with a disc extrusion or disassociation. Disc possible sequestered, or at the least there is a fragment floating around jammed into the nerve. I was told it would be unlikely for it to solve itself without surgery so I suspect that's where I'm headed. Season over.
That sucks man, but there will be other seasons.

I don't know if this is something that all neurosurgeons tell their patients when trying to convince them that surgery is the best option, but mine told me that the nerve (S1) with an impinging disk fragment is like a new carpet with a sofa on it. Move the sofa in a couple of weeks and there will be some impressions from the couches feet in the carpet. A couple of passes with a vacuum and the impressions disappear, but if the couch sits there long enough, those impressions don't go away, no matter how much you vacuum.

I think the moral of the story is, if it's clear that there is physical damage to the disk, and an impingement on the sciatic nerve, the sooner you treat it, the better the chances that the nerve will recover fully. Or as close to fully as is possible.

Just curious, were you snowmobiling when you injured it? I've heard back injuries are pretty common sledding. I also mention it because I had been riding the night before I did my disk, and often wonder if I hadn't actually done it on the sled the night before, and only noticed it the next day because the fragment shifted into a bad position while skiing.

BigKuba,
If I had your symptoms, I wouldn't let a chiro anywhere near me. I was lucky that my chiro was honest enough with me to suggest that my issue might be best addressed with "traditional" medicine.

I'm not knocking chiropractic or any other less conventional methods. They clearly have helped millions and in many cases might actually have a lead on conventional medicine, but if I had all those symptoms you describe, I'd want to have it checked out by an ortho and get a MRI that would hopefully give some insight as to what's actually going on with my spine before letting someone attempt to manually re-align it.

[brraaap802]

That sucks man, but there will be other seasons.

I don't know if this is something that all neurosurgeons tell their patients when trying to convince them that surgery is the best option, but mine told me that the nerve (S1) with an impinging disk fragment is like a new carpet with a sofa on it. Move the sofa in a couple of weeks and there will be some impressions from the couches feet in the carpet. A couple of passes with a vacuum and the impressions disappear, but if the couch sits there long enough, those impressions don't go away, no matter how much you vacuum.

I think the moral of the story is, if it's clear that there is physical damage to the disk, and an impingement on the sciatic nerve, the sooner you treat it, the better the chances that the nerve will recover fully. Or as close to fully as is possible.

Just curious, were you snowmobiling when you injured it? I've heard back injuries are pretty common sledding. I also mention it because I had been riding the night before I did my disk, and often wonder if I hadn't actually done it on the sled the night before, and only noticed it the next day because the fragment shifted into a bad position while skiing.
it.

Thanks. Skiing, not sledding. Plus too many years of doing stupid shit catching up to me.

[Canada Guy]

Thanks. Skiing, not sledding. Plus too many years of doing stupid shit catching up to me.

brraaap802, I just stumbled across this thread and noticed you are also in the Calgary area. What steps did your doc take as far as setting you up with a specialist? I have a bulge in my L5 resulting in moderate to severe central stenosis as well as degenerative disc disease.

My doc appears to be a bit clueless and has tried to refer me to a Neurosurgeon, but I am on a wait list for a minimum of 14 months. He doesn't seem to have any idea what my course of treatment should be so he is just taking a stab at it with the referral. In fact, he didn't seem to know if I should see an ortho or neuro surgeon. I would prefer to not have to wait that long if I can help it.

[flowing alpy]

z-bo hows the sciatic thing going seven years later?

[brraaap802]

brraaap802, I just stumbled across this thread and noticed you are also in the Calgary area. What steps did your doc take as far as setting you up with a specialist? I have a bulge in my L5 resulting in moderate to severe central stenosis as well as degenerative disc disease.

My doc appears to be a bit clueless and has tried to refer me to a Neurosurgeon, but I am on a wait list for a minimum of 14 months. He doesn't seem to have any idea what my course of treatment should be so he is just taking a stab at it with the referral. In fact, he didn't seem to know if I should see an ortho or neuro surgeon. I would prefer to not have to wait that long if I can help it.
That sucks. Options are go in queue (a long frustrating experience with our "free" public health care, try to find a friend/family member who is a speciliast of some kind to shoehorn you in, or private options (cambie clinic in Vancouver keeps coming up, but it aint cheap). I'm investigating all 3 with no clarity on timing. Seem orthos do spinal stuff as well so it is possible to see either. (I think the Caleo clinic mostly ortho).

You may want to try Chiro, physio,, etc. first. I'll pm you later with some contacts that have worked for me.

[Treycal]

You may want to try Chiro, physio,, etc. first. I'll pm you later with some contacts that have worked for me.

Canada Guy,

I've just gone through a year of dealing with slight herniations/bulging of L4-L5/L5-S1 discs. Initial recovery was pretty good after approx. 6 weeks. Enough to get back to the gym/skiing; however, what my physio at the time thought was just some minor residual nerve "stickiness" on my left side (opposite of my original sciatica symptoms) turned into a full blown crippling pain well beyond what I initial experienced.

After a couple of months of seemingly no progress at my physio, I went to see Dr. Jason Dick @ Riverside Sports Therapy. He's a chiro but focuses on sports related injuries and tends to shy away from the more holistic "I can cure cancer & asthma by adjusting your back" approach. He does a lot of work with the Hitmen & Stampeders. He also uses active release therapy. It took some time, but I'm pretty much back to 90%ish and pain free most of the time. I can't recommend him enough.


That sucks. Options are go in queue (a long frustrating experience with our "free" public health care, try to find a friend/family member who is a speciliast of some kind to shoehorn you in, or private options

Tell me about it. I had no issues getting in to see my family doc and pretty obvious diagnosis, but I'm still waiting for scheduled MRI which will be in mid-May. Total wait time about 8 months and likely well after I've fully recovered. At least I can use the MRI to establish a base line, in terms of disc position, etc., to use if I hurt my back again.

[bmg97]

Man this shit sucks. I just started getting zapped down my right leg a few months ago. I actually had to hangup on a customer because the shooting pains were so bad I couldn't talk. It comes and goes and seems to get worse when my posture gets lazy. Was hoping it would just stop at some point. I actually think it knows I'm talking about it now. I'm hoping the gym and some stretching helps out.

[ghettostyle]

mine is due to an L4 budging disk. though my back did't hurt by i had debilitating nerve pain down my right leg so much so that my ankle actually was slightly swollen. Forward leans KILLED me, and my whole right leg became very inflexible. my dr said that because i was strong before there was a good chance for a full recovery w/out any need for surgery or continuing meds and that it would just take time (he said the durations popular on the med web sites are way off, which in my case they were). It took 6 months to feel "close" to normal, and it continues to get better almost weekly. For me, the best remedy is residing in the fact that i needed initial rest with some light activity to allow the nerve reduce it's own swelling. now i workout 7 days a week on heavy/stressful core, squats, push ups, pull ups, dips etc daily to remain in the best shape i can. Some days are heavier than other, but 7 days a week i find is better than any with inactivity. Even a day or so being a piece on the couch, it feels worse. It could be worse than lifetime prescription of exercise, it could be pain killers...

[DeutschBag]

Just had an emergency surgery to fix my sciatica and horrible lower back pain. Doc said it was my only choice since I could barely walk and no positions were comfortable for me. Couldn't sit, stand, lie down without tremendous pain. Even though my MRI didn't look too bad, when the neurosurgeon got in there, the damage and compression on the L4/L5, L5/S1 nerve roots was quite substantial. Surgeon said the surgery went great and expects a full recovery and a 100% return to action in 8 weeks. Still healing up, but am quite ahead of schedule according to me docs. Gotta thank my diet for that (Paleo). Not saying surgery is the answer for everyone, but I'd been dealing with this for years and no conservative approaches were working. Hope you all can find what works for you.