Who's had to deal with a pinched sciatic nerve?

[Fordtough25]

Yep, have had it off and on for a few years now. Doc said I have degenerative disc syndrome, arthritis, getting older. So I think I am screwed it sounds like, I try to take it easy and stretch but my episodes have started with random acts, not heavy anything so no clue. It sucks.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

Physical therapy and the sooner the better. I've got permanent nerve damage because I was an idiot who waited too long.

Chiropractor visits have never done anything permanent for me. Sports medicine/physical therapy was a slow progression that resulted in permanent results.

 

[Dirty Steve]

I ignored it and dealt with it for 20 years because I was STUPID. It got to the point that I could not stand-up straight, could not sit down, could not sleep, foot was cold or numb all the time and sometimes my entire body would seize up and I felt like I got jolted with a cattle prod. I finally had survey 12 years ago to correct it and I am now in the best shape of my life (since I was 17-21) at age 53 and enjoying a great quality of life. Don't let surgery scare you off if it is an option. I put it off for way to long and basically lost 10 good years of life because I was scared of it.

Dirty Steve

 

[ghuns]

I don't know if it was specifically a pinched sciatic nerve, but I screwed my back up good one time cutting firewood. I have an outdoor boiler so my firewood is jumbo sized chunks. But when I got hurt, I wasn't lifting anything. I was bent over cutting with my chainsaw and turned slightly at the waist to roll a piece of wood out of the way. The pain hit me and I dropped to my knees. Down on all fours, the pain wasn't that bad. But hard as I tried, I couldn't stand back up.

I was out behind the barn, a couple hundred feet from the house, so I decided to just crawl back inside. About halfway, I realized how stupid I must have looked. This struck me as funny, so I began laughing my arse off. About that time the wife walked out the backdoor and saw me, crawling across the yard and laughing hysterically. She was convinced I had suffered some kind of psychotic break. It took me a minute to convince her to come anywhere near me, but she was eventually able to help me get standing up kinda straight-ish, make it to the living room, and roll me into my LazyBoy.

I sat there a couple hours, moving very carefully and deliberately until I convinced myself I was OK. I told the wife I was heading to the shower. She didn't think it was a good idea, but what does she know? I managed to stand, walk around the back of my chair into the hallway and open the linen closet door. Everything was OK until I bent to grab a towel off the shelf. Down I went again. I managed to crawl back to my chair, this time with the wife laughing hysterically. I stayed there till the next morning.

When I woke up, I could stand and move around without falling, but the pain was constant in my left, lower back. That afternoon I went to the Doc. I don't like pain pills and muscle relaxers, he didn't either. He said, I'll get you a toradol shot. I'd never heard of it. The nurse came in with a syringe and I started to roll up my sleeve. She was like, nope. Drop 'em. The instant the stabbed me in the butt with that needle, it felt like fire was inside my veins running down my leg. I asked if this was just supposed to make me forget about my back pain by causing worse pain. She assured me it would pass in a minute or two. It did. Within a half hour, I had zero pain. Doc said to take it easy for week and things should heal up. Luckily, they did. I have tweaked things a couple times since that, but never quite that bad.

 

[Toecutter]

I wound up with spinal surgery. If it gets bad enough, and depending on your age, you may well get to enjoy this. My muscles are still weak, but finally getting better.

I had all kinds of special effects, like I would wake up screaming because it felt like my leg was being chainsawed off, or someone had soaked my foot in gasoline and lit it on fire. Hydrocodone for 5 months until I could get in the operating room was the only thing that kept me operating. I have a very stout cane that I still carry around with me.

I hate to hear that you had to have spinal surgery. I am glad you are feeling better. I am going to try all my options before considering surgery. I guess that will be my last resort. Thanks for your response.

 

[Toecutter]

Yes and it ****ing sucks. My foot is still numb from damage. Disc pushed out and pinched.
I got up out of bed one day and collapsed, I couldn’t walk.
No sleep for what seemed like weeks. Couldn’t sit in a chair to work had to stand as long as I could or kneel.
Sleeping when I could was on my stomach, supported by pillows with one leg cocked up.
Did it mention it ****ing sucks?
There is another thread in the break room about it.

Thank you for your response and for letting me know about the other thread in the break room. I am pretty new here and didn't even think about searching the subject. I'm not sure why my doctor didn't send me for an MRI or X-Ray. I would really like to know for sure what caused this to come on. Disc problem or what. Thanks again for your response.

 

[Toecutter]

3 yrs now.
Comes n goes w leg tingle/pain.
But always some discomfort.
And weakness. It's just gone.

Stand for a while, sit for a while, lay down for a while............and no matter what activity, always that pressure/discomfort.
Moved today and felt nerve roll, about puked.

Also have some pudednal nerve stuff going on.
Lightning strikes where you really don't want em LOL.

Have not had injections.
Tried anti inflams, allergic.

Stretching and just saying Ef it.......do what I have to do.

I did, for unknown reason, got 3 days of no pain/discomfort.........and then it was right back to what it was.
But yeah, at least 3 yrs now.

Sucks.

That's exactly what I am dealing with. No matter how I try to sit, lay, or stand I am in constant pain. Pretty much no sleep at all. I'm hoping the meds the doctor gave me kick in soon where I can get just a little relief. The doctor also gave me papers on exercise to do but that just seems to aggravate everything. Thanks for your response and I hope one day you can get back to where you once were before your back problems.

 

[nra4ever]

Lose weight eat healthy plant based as much as u can and do yoga. Will change your life. Good luck.

 

[Toecutter]

Sorry. Double posted.

 

[Toecutter]

I've had long term back problems that I won't enumerate here, but here are a few things I've learned:

It isn't gonna get better in a day or two. It might take a week. It might take a month.
If you have a recliner lounge, try to sleep in it. You may get more relief than a mattress. I've slept in my recliner for 3 years now.
Don't stand flat-footed when you do stand. Put the weight on one foot and then the other.
You don't say how old you are, but if you're over 40, you may have stenosis in your pelvic nerve canals. Until the tissue shrinks down the pain/numbness will remain.
Don't push it. Overdoing it will reset you to a more painful level and the healing process will likely be extended.
Don't lift a damn thing. Nothing.
The electric stimulators you can buy at a drugstore or on line do help.

Thank you for your reply. I was thinking the same thing about getting better in a day or two. The doc only gave me 2 days off of work. The bad thing is I am on my feet all day and up and down stairs and have to work outside. Now that it's freezing cold outside that's probably going to make things worse.

I do have a longer and will try that tonight instead of not being able to get comfortable in bed.

It's funny you mentioned not standing flat footed. When I go to the bathroom to relieve myself I can't seem to stand flat footed. I have to alternate from foot to foot. I am in my 50's.

I'm definitely not going to lift anything whatsoever. I'm not even sure when to try and start the exercises he told me to do. I don't think he said when to start. I just don't want to aggravate whatever is going on. I will look into the stimulators.

Thanks again for your response.

 

[Toecutter]

Ozzfest 2004 I got sunburned bad.
Feet peeled, thought that why legs tingled.
About a week later, went to get up from a nights sleep, and couldn't
Crawl to door and pull myself up screaming......took forever to get to my Jeep.
Went to chiro.
He said I was way out and popped me.....I yelled....it was like a bomb went off.
But...........I could walk back to my car without looking like Tim Conway on the Carol Burnett show.
Babied it a few months, couple more visits.........was gone.

Well, kinda. Never 100%...........maybe 90%.

Functional but never perfect.
Always had middle back and neck issues, but this the first so low.

Had it again a couple yrs later, couple visits, back to same

Repeat.

Last visit said that its not chiro any more.
Surgery time, go see specialist.

Xrays say arthritis, next is MRI.

Thank you for your response. I never thought about going to a chiropractor but I am definitely open to trying just about anything. Trying to avoid surgery at all costs.

 

[Toecutter]

I've had 18 lower back procedures. 2 neck surgeries. 3 shoulder operations. DON'T go to the VA. 'nuff said there.

Man, I feel for you! That has to be terrible going through all those surgeries. Did any of the surgeries help you?

 

[churchmouse]

Just got home from our Chiro. No it never goes away and you will never be 100% again but as we age and use up what we were born with that's all part of it.

 

[Toecutter]

I did until surgery made life easier. Try sleeping on your stomach with your pillow under your chest and stomach. It helped at times. Sometimes it didn't...

I will give that a try. What kind of surgery did you have that helped you?

 

[Toecutter]

I have something similar, but it's in my neck, so the pain shoots down my arm. Started in the left arm, but recently had it in the right. When I first had it in my left arm, it was horribly painful. Sometimes my hand was numb. Often felt like someone was stabbing me in the arm. I've been told I have a high pain tolerance, and this was awful. I couldn't sleep. I rolled around on the floor and cried. Pain meds only made me sick. A round of oral steroids and physical therapy finally helped. I see a chiropractor regularly, and take anti-inflammatory supplements. I actually know someone who is having surgery today for the same type of neck issue. I'm trying to avoid that. I've been lucky that it's been pretty manageable so far, after that one time.
Good luck.

Thank you for your response. I hate that you have had to deal with neck pain. I thought I had a pretty high tolerance for pain but this pinched sciatic nerve thing is another whole kind of pain. I have also had neck pain in the past but it has gotten better with the prescription anti inflammatory medication I am on. I was first on diclofenac for my neck pain but was on it too long so the doctor switched me to a generic form of Celebrex and it seems to have helped some. I hope you can avoid surgery also. That would be my last resort.

 

[Toecutter]

My back/neck are junk from the trades and life choices. Pain is a constant but bearable most days. 800 Ibu is a sleeping pill for me. When it wears off in six hours or so I get up. My Chiro has kept me moving since my mid 30's. Fast approaching 70 and he and his staff are a monthly visit for me. Actually today is that visit.

Like many posting in here I have had to crawl out of bed, dress on the floor, crawl to he truck and require assistance to get in his office.
He has literally saved me from myself.

Thank you for your response. I hate to hear about your back and neck problems. I may just have to give a chiropractor a try. I have a friend that has neck and back pain and he said he has had luck with acupuncture. I am going to take this round of meds the doctor put me on and hopefully that works. If not I am going to give a chiropractor a try. Anything to avoid any type of surgery.

 

[Toecutter]

took 2-3 months to go away for me. take it easy is an understatment. also there were stretches that defineately helped. like knees to chest i think.

Thanks for your response. My doctor gave me a couple sheets showing the stretching exercises he wants me to try. I just want to start feeling a little better before trying the stretching exercises. I definitely don't want to make things worse.

 

[Toecutter]

I'll be another vote for the chiro... Had sciatic and disc problems for about 15 years now and I finally went to one this summer when it happened again and it made all the difference. I didn't got to the "bone cracking" kind though. I went to the "stimulation" kind. I'd recommend you try either.

Also, ice therapy really helps me. 20 minutes on, 20 minutes off, for a couple of hours, with one of these:

https://www.amazon.com/Extra-Large-Cold-Flexible-Therapy/dp/B01N4IRZPU

I also recently got one of these for my chair... Seems to be helping:

https://www.amazon.com/Tcare-Multifunctional-Portable-Inflatable-Orthopedic/dp/B0759B2NPP

Thank you for your response. I am definitely going to try a chiropractor if the pills don't work. I have been doing the ice pack thing but don't notice much relief if any. I think it's still too early in the game to notice much difference.

 

[Toecutter]

I have realized that every injury you have in this life that sets you down for a few days or more will haunt you for your eternity.

I hope you're wrong in my case but I think you are probably right. I still have aches and pains from previous injuries i have sustained.

 

[thunderchicken]

Kinda surprised how many have had issue where they couldn't stand up and had to crawl. When my sciatica was at its worst, I turned at the hip while sitting on the side of the bed and it was like a lightning strike when down my leg and all I could do was lay flat on the bed. Stood up 3 times but couldn't put my weight on my right leg. Thankfully I was able to borrow a crutch from my brother to get around the house and back to the Dr the next day. Never had to crawl but thought I might a few times