Sciatic nerve pain

[WebSnyper]

Not 100% sure if this applies to me but this week have sucked as far as back pain goes...did drywall on Monday, no pain. Installed an interior door on Tuesday, no pain until about 2 hours afterwards. I've been in pain since. ibuprofen or Tylenol doesn't seem to help a whole lot, but a hot shower does. I'm in pure pain in the morning(almost impossible to get out of bed and get dressed) but after moving around a bit and a hot shower, the evenings aren't too bad.

This may sound strange, but with the disc issues I have in my neck as well as lower back, sleeping position can make a big difference. For lower back, laying flat on my back with a pillow under my knees has helped (elevate legs a bit to take some pressure off). With the more recent issue with my neck which showed some extrusions of the disc material, etc, I have found that also laying on my back with not much if any elevation of the neck, but turning my head to one side has helped quite a bit.

Bottom line, look for a sleeping position that helps and you may be amazed that you can maintain that position for a good bit of the night and may feel better when you wake up in the morning.

Depending on where the pain is (upper, lower, middle), there are some different movements and low impact exercise movements you can try that help alot as well.

 

[Caleb]

^^^ Pretty much how I have been for little over a month. Hot shower seems to help some but not much. Ibuprofen/ Aleve may help some but mostly just being up moving around does seem to loosen things up.
I see the Dr on Tuesday so should find out what she recommends. My biggest concern has been over doing it and hurting myself worse.
Back pain just sucks

Right now my pain is residing in my lower back and top of my hips...I have very little flexibility in my back, I can't get up out of bed, literally have to roll out. Our bed is 6 years old so I'm aiming to replace it this spring with tax money.

 

[thunderchicken]

Right now my pain is residing in my lower back and top of my hips...I have very little flexibility in my back, I can't get up out of bed, literally have to roll out. Our bed is 6 years old so I'm aiming to replace it this spring with tax money.

Me too my pain is lower back right at hip level. Pain right by the right of the spine and on the right near the hip and I get pain running straight down the back of my hamstring and stops in the back of my knee. When I first wake up I use a dresser next to the bed to help pull myself up. Then I have to pace around my living room and sit with my back arched (shoulders back) for @ 15 minutes. That's just so I can move enough to get dressed and start to function.

I never had any issues like this before Nov 30. But I did replace my bed back in mid October. Knowing how the old bed was starting to sag no doubt the new bed is an improvement

 

[thunderchicken]

Alright so tomorrow marks 6 weeks of back pain. The Dr had me on prednisone for a week and that was a huge relief. Otherwise I can't say anything has gotten better. Went to the Dr on Tuesday and she says my mild/moderate disc degeneration is kinda normal and that degeneration indicates there's probably some arthritis in my lower back. The curvature shown in the X-rays shouldn't really be an issue. So, her recommendations are to take 2 Meloxicam tablets once a day, lose weight (which I have been working on), go to physical therapy, walk more (ehich would be so much easier if I wasn't in pain), and see her again in a month at which point we will see if there's any improvement. If not then she will probably have an MRI done to look for where the nerve may be getting aggrevated.

So I am still plugging away as best I can. But nobody can explain how if this is from normal wear & tear, why did the pain come on over night and last for 6 weeks with no change in symptoms?

Paging Hoosierdoc. Can you help me understand? I geel like my doc rushes in and out of our appointments

 

[Hillbilly]

Are you going to your regular doctor, or to an orthopedic doctor? With back stuff, I completely skip my regular doctor and go straight to an orthopedic doctor. Or at this point, just back to the spinal surgeon.

With sciatic pain, it can come on suddenly. The nerve is damaged or irritated already and all it takes is one wrong move, too big of a sneeze, or twisting the wrong way for it to really get pinched. Literally, the straw that broke the camel's back.

 

[Hohn]

You guys might laugh, but I've found effective relief for many back and neck issues with the following:

This guy really helps with neck alignment and generates a little gentle neck traction that is often just enough for slow release and relief:
https://www.amazon.com/Cabeau-Evolu...1547147882&sr=1-8&keywords=travel+pillow&th=1

The McKenzie stretches help too:

https://www.verywellhealth.com/mckenzie-exercises-for-your-low-back-2696222

What has been most helpful of all for my low back/sciatica issue is a firm round object placed under my lumber area and just lying on a the floor or a firm bed. I've used a rolled up beach towel, a pool noodle, a folded firm bed bellow, even a foam roller for PT. If it's firm and round and about the right height (4"-8") they all seem to help.

It can take 30 min or more for the lumbar support to generate the release, but it usually comes.

The effect is like wet quenching the burning fire of nerve pain. (What I call the "hot poker" sensation-- it feels like being stabbed with a hot poker removed from the fireplace). My kids know that when Dad is having "bad hot poker" it's not that I lost money playing cards, it's the nerve pain. But unlike the quench, it's not instant. You lie down feeling miserable and on fire and at some point realize that the pain has vastly improved.


I rarely use my Teeter Hang Up anymore. It's not that it doesn't work. It's that lying with the firm round thing under your back work as well (or better) without the undesirable aspects of inversion (blood to head, etc).

 

[thunderchicken]

I have decided at my wifes encouraging to go get a second opinion. But now I feel like its back to square one with do I go see a chiropractor or orthopedic doctor? I am inclined to go see a chiropractor, but I confess I have never been to one so I have no idea what to expect or what to ask etc. I halfway want to just hook myself to a ratcheting come along and have someone stretch me out. Although the Dr did stretch me and bend me on Tuesday morning and after waking up that evening, I could barely stand upright. Yesterday and today havr been back to he way I was before being used as a fat pretzel.
If anyone has a trusted Chiro in the Indy area you are just so happy with you can't complain shoot me a PM.

 

[DangerousDave]

I suffered with back pain for years. Went to a chiropracter and she actually made me hurt worse. Got a cortisone shot, it didn't do anything. Took pain meds, didn't do anything for the pain. Finally had a bunch of tests run, found out I have 5 bulged discs in a row and a pinched nerve. Got to the point I couldn't hardly walk. Had back surgery 2 years ago, it was the best thing I ever done. Now I'm back to living a more normal life. I was like you, I couldn't sleep at night, now I sleep like a baby. If you decide to have surgery, find one who has been doing it for a number of years and talk to some of his patients who have gotten surgery from him. Best of luck to you, hope you get some relief.

 

[bacon#1]

[video=youtube_share;8Ebe_6v2YXA]http://youtu.be/8Ebe_6v2YXA[/video]

But seriously it does suck.

 

[Caleb]

Any of you guys have your shoulder go out using your arms a bit to get yourself out of bed? It's so bad, you might as well as stab me in the shoulder because that's what it probably feels like!

 

[WebSnyper]

Any of you guys have your shoulder go out using your arms a bit to get yourself out of bed? It's so bad, you might as well as stab me in the shoulder because that's what it probably feels like!

Shoulder pain could be caused by disc problems in the neck... ask me how I know.

Any tingling in the fingers to go with it?

 

[Dirtebiker]

I suffered with back pain for years. Went to a chiropracter and she actually made me hurt worse. Got a cortisone shot, it didn't do anything. Took pain meds, didn't do anything for the pain. Finally had a bunch of tests run, found out I have 5 bulged discs in a row and a pinched nerve. Got to the point I couldn't hardly walk. Had back surgery 2 years ago, it was the best thing I ever done. Now I'm back to living a more normal life. I was like you, I couldn't sleep at night, now I sleep like a baby. If you decide to have surgery, find one who has been doing it for a number of years and talk to some of his patients who have gotten surgery from him. Best of luck to you, hope you get some relief.

What surgery did you have?

 

[boosteds13cc]

Any of you guys have your shoulder go out using your arms a bit to get yourself out of bed? It's so bad, you might as well as stab me in the shoulder because that's what it probably feels like!

That area is thoracic. Dry needleing helps. Also try some traction.

 

[boosteds13cc]

Back pain sucks. Makes you want to go crazy. Ive had 3 surgeries in the past 3 years. Got injured on the job and work comp sucks. Boy do they suck. Had epidurals, steroids, and fasset joint injections....didnt work....then total of 3 years of therapy....didnt work....disc decompression which resulted in a disc fusion which failed and had to get another fusion (removed old one 'through my stomach' and put in new hardware, cadaver bone, and stitched me back up after 8 hrs later)
In feb will be my 1 year since my recent surgery and being told im perfectly fine and everything has healed perfectly and allowed to go back to work with little restrictions.

Yet. Yet after therapy since april i still get wore out picking up dog poop or unloading the dish washer. Being a 32 year old having these problems i totally get what everyone has or is going through.

 

[Caleb]

Shoulder pain could be caused by disc problems in the neck... ask me how I know.

Any tingling in the fingers to go with it?

...no....kinda think i just overwork that area to compensate for lower back being a turd.

 

[Caleb]

That area is thoracic. Dry needleing helps. Also try some traction.

My apologies, I'm not a medical expert....care to translate that to layman's terms?

 

[thunderchicken]

Back pain sucks. Makes you want to go crazy. Ive had 3 surgeries in the past 3 years. Got injured on the job and work comp sucks. Boy do they suck. Had epidurals, steroids, and fasset joint injections....didnt work....then total of 3 years of therapy....didnt work....disc decompression which resulted in a disc fusion which failed and had to get another fusion (removed old one 'through my stomach' and put in new hardware, cadaver bone, and stitched me back up after 8 hrs later)
In feb will be my 1 year since my recent surgery and being told im perfectly fine and everything has healed perfectly and allowed to go back to work with little restrictions.

Yet. Yet after therapy since april i still get wore out picking up dog poop or unloading the dish washer. Being a 32 year old having these problems i totally get what everyone has or is going through.

Dang that does suck. Yet again another heard story of surgery maybe not being the best option to correct back problems.

I'm trying not to avoid doing anything at this point. But, it doesn't take long for the pain the flare up and I have to take a break.
I'm still trying to find who to see for a second opinion.

 

[boosteds13cc]

My apologies, I'm not a medical expert....care to translate that to layman's terms?

Would be easier for you to google it. Describes zones of the spine

 

[boosteds13cc]

Dang that does suck. Yet again another heard story of surgery maybe not being the best option to correct back problems.

I'm trying not to avoid doing anything at this point. But, it doesn't take long for the pain the flare up and I have to take a break.
I'm still trying to find who to see for a second opinion.

Good luck!!! Once they open ya up its an automatic 20ish % disability. I wish indiana was a medical marijuana state. Talked with people who have the same problems as i do in those states and that type of medication helps them. I cant currently afford the good cbd to try which may or may not work.

Surgery is a hit or miss. Although it did cure my sciatic pain. Walking with a cane at my age was weird. If not id get those random lightming bolt jolts down my leg n fall. I am glad thats over with which was only foxed by surgery.

Ive heard hit or misses also with those spinal cord stimulators.

 

[hoosierdoc]

So... anyone try this yet?

https://www.irishexaminer.com/break...-his-own-semen-to-treat-back-pain-897934.html