You sure it's not your back?

Fought with sciatic nerve pain for two years after a martial arts accident.  Skepticism kept me away but I eventually started seeing a chiropractor.  He was very good and I saw marked results in about a month.  Occasional treatments after that for about a year (decreasing greatly in frequency after the first month) and now, about 6 years later, I have no trouble at all with the lower back in general.  Even heavy weightlifting about two years ago didn't cause a regression and actually seemed to help.  If you don't have a serious condition such as a herniated disc, you should think about the chiro angle.  Once the acute symptoms are better, get some PT, maybe light weights and situps.  Good luck.  Serious back pain is no joke but will heal eventually.  

Don't even get me started!!!!!!!!!!!

Lets just say it all began two years ago.  I won't go into detail because I have bitched enough.  However, I [b]HIGHLY[/b] suggest X-rays and a MRI.  Then see a REAL back Doctor not a Chiropracture........go from there.


Good luck......I really really mean that.  My left leg would go numb and I would fall over!!.

Sgtar15

PS It did get better

No, I didn't mean to suggest that DrFrige should skip a real Md. and go to the chiro.  It's just that the MD.s were telling me that I should just rest it, and if that didn't help, they could operate.  Well, I rested for 6 MONTHS with no improvement.  I saw surgery as the last option and was sick of not being able to really participate in life.  So I figured that a chiro couldn't hurt at that point and it did help.  I think they can be useful but are not a panacea, just another option.  

magnum_99

I didn't even read your post before I replied.  I agree with you about Chiros...they do a lot of good sometimes.  But if it is herniated or in my case 4 leaking disks (L2,L3,L4,L5,S1) they can really Fuck You Up!

No insult was directed your way and I am glad you got the help you needed.

Sgtar15

Wow!  How did that happen?  How are you now?  Surgery?  Did it work?  Did you fall off of a cliff?  I thought my little bruised disk was bad.  Hope you are well.  Take care.  

Long....long...long story!!  I am much better but will never be the same

sgtar15

I have sciatic nerve problems as well. I actually have a few bad discs at l-4 and l-5. The only advice I can give is watch out for the pain meds!! Once you begin taking narcotics you probably wont be able to stop. A problem Im very familiar with[:(]

DAMN! I thought I had it bad with only 1 herniated disk.  I had a block done and again 6 months later.  That fixed me right up.  That was 4 years ago.  Now I just have to be careful and my body should repair itself.

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Was hit by lightening in Bridgeport Mountain Warfare School '84.  Spent 6 days in Reno Neuro Hospital.  

Dave S

Yeah, I see a Chiro, none as good as the first one.  But he had to sell his practice after a skiing accident.  

That is how mine started, and got much worse. I was going to the doctor for muscle relaxers and pain meds quite often. Then he sent me to a specialist. I was given a few trigger point injections and felt alot better. Got to feeling "TOOOO" good and thought I was Superman. What a mistake. After going back to doing all the stuff I was used to doing, my L5 ruptured. By the time they did the Milogram, my S1 was collapsed and leaking. Soooooo, after the surgery (three level fusion) with all the rods, anchors, screws and bone fusion, I can actually walk (evidence of evolution) upright now. I am much better than I was, but not as good as with the "original" equipment.....

DK [:D]

DrFrige:

My wife works as a Case Manager at a Chiropractor's office.  She tells me that sciatica (sp?) can be treated, but the Chiropractor has to do actual adjustments.  Those who simply hit trigger points to relax back muscles are only doing the job half way.  My second hand .02.  The key is finding a good Chiropractor in your area.  Of course, if you have actual damage to your back/spine, then tread lightly.

-White Horse

Go to your doctor and talk to him about an MRI to eliminate the possibility of structural injury or defect in the spinal column.  If there is no damage, go to a GOOG chiropractor.  I highly recommend chiropractors trained in the "Activator method"  which instead of using gross manipulations and joint cracking, uses a small handheld device to gently nudge things back into position.  Another good option is a doctor trained in osteopathic medicine.  They are full MD's but have also studied chiropractic.

Acupuncture is also an interesting alternative for pain relief.  My mother uses acupuncture and chiropractic with the approval of her MD to manage her sciatica problem. Regular exercise helps keep major flare ups away.

Chiropractic and accupuncture are not the cure alls that their more radical practicioners claim.  If you encounter a chiropractor or accupuncturist who claims to be able to treat anything, find another practicioner fast, you are dealing with a quack.

My chiropractor requires detailed x-rays prior to beginning treatment to rule out structural injury.  If she sees anything unusual at all, she tells you to get more tests.  She takes a detailed medical record, asks a lot of questions about how the injury occured, prior injuries in the area, etc.  She happens to also be an RN with a ton of traditional medical experience.

Chiro and accupuncture can be an effective PART of a coordinated medical treatment program, but are no replacement for traditional medicine,  Any chiropractor or accupuncturist who tells you otherwise is unworthy of your attention.

Go to your doctor and eliminate structural defect, then find a good chiropractor or osteopath for further treatment.

Get a good exercise program prescribed and FOLLOW IT. Stretching is one of the more critical activities.

DrFrige,

Start with some simple stretching exercises.  You can find a ton of info on the health & fitness websites.  The Sciatic nerve exits the spinal column via the sacral vertebrate, fused bone so its not a disk problem.  

Majority of times misalignment of muscles, tendons, ligament and the hips cause an impingement of the nerve.  Overcompensation of structures (muscle) for weaker areas can cause the misalignment.

You really need to   S  T  R  E  T  C  H  !

223REM
[red]ACE Certified[/red]

Only everyday for the last 12 years. It sucks to be me.

Going on 9 years now. Mine is caused by a bad L5
disk. Back pain and shooting pain down right leg. A good day is just pressure in the back.
I am having the disk yanked and fused this summer. (Been through all the PT and other things.) Good luck.

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                                                                                           I'am sorry, LMAO.

I have the Sciatic crap too, but not too bad.

I had injuried my lower back about eight years ago at work moving a very heavy filing cabinet. Went through PT for about a month. Then was okay. Last year about this time I was feeling sore again. My right glut was extremely sore. I was bent over rinseing out an A/C coil. Then all of the sudden major pain. It was a Sunday afternoon. Went home and took a scrip. anti-flamatory. Woke up Monday morning with pain extending from my lower back and right glut around my right hip and down my right leg. Pain was out of this world. Went to regular DR. He gave me muscle relaxer Cyclobenzaprine 10mg and Vicodeine. He then asked me how fast I wanted to get back to work. I told him ASAP I'm a single dad. He then advised a Chiropactor. I didn't beleive in them. But he advised one. So I tried it. First visit he just did ultrasound. Said he wanted muscle relaxers to have one more day. Went back seconed visit. He popped my back and I was amazed. My back felt way better. Went back the next two days and was back to work after three adjustments. I haven't been back since. But plan to get adjusted at least twice a year.

Mine was due to a slipped disc in my lower back.  It went all the way down to my toes and caused permanent numbness in part of my right led.  Mine didn't go away till after low back surgery (of which I've had 3).  Many people are good to go with physical therapy and never need surgery, I hope your one of these.

Well as you can already see there is no sure thing for all cases but I'll share my experience.

I suffered from acute Sciatica about 10 years ago , this went on for about a year becoming progressively worse , to the point where I live in agony every day of my life.

I saw several orthopedic Doctors and was prescribed one med after the other with little result , I saw a Chiropractor for about 6 months also , the Chiro visits really were stress relievers but had no effect at all on my condition.

Then one day a friend involved in the martial arts suggested accupuncture , I had heard of it but thought it a little out there.

Well out of desperation I opened the phone book and made an appointment with the nearest accupuncturist.

My visit went very well and I left there still in some pain but when I woke up the next morning I had absolutely NO pain that was 10 years ago and I have never had any reoccurance.

Thats my experience , good luck to you

[b]Majority of times misalignment of muscles, tendons, ligament and the hips cause an impingement of the nerve. Overcompensation of structures (muscle) for weaker areas can cause the misalignment.[/b]

Find some one who knows "Sports Massage" (pressure points).....

I injured my back a couple of times during my 28 years in the Navy, the last and worst in '83 while serving on a destroyer in Pearl.  I haven't had too many days without pain since then and I'm legally disabled with a VA pension, mostly because of that.  I have been treated with everything but surgery so far and I'm not going for that until the pain gets lots worse.

Here's my $.02, FWIW:

As already explained, the sciatic nerve is a big nerve formed by the combining of several nerves that exit your spine in your lower back, come together to form the sciatic nerve and run down into your leg, branching out as they head for the toes.  The pain in your leg can usually be traced to an "injury" to your lower back.  This injury is really a squeezing of the soft pad between the vertebrae, which pooches out and bumps up against the nerve.  The vertebrae are the 4th & 5th lumbar and the 1st–3rd sacral, down low.  Since nerves really don’t like to be squeezed, they get angry.  The immediate pain in the back at the point of the initial injury, is then followed by pain, itching, tingling and sometimes reduced mobility down in the leg.  A typical sign of a pretty good impingement to the nerve in the lower back is a painful tingling in the quadriceps muscle area, sometimes down to the knee.  Depending on which of the vertebrae are hurt, you may have pain and tingling all over your leg and butt.  The symptoms you describe are classic.  Mine comes and goes when I forget that I have a bad back and try something stupid.  Once injured, this problem will most likely be with you for the rest of your life…but it is treatable.

Go to an orthopedic surgeon for consultation and treatment.  Stay away from a chiropractor until you see the real bone crusher.  You may have something wrong that the chiro could exacerbate with his "adjustments".  The doctor will take x-rays, and may recommend an MRI, then explain what is wrong and recommend a treatment plan, which may include an anti-inflammatory drug like Ibuprofen.

And finally…stay OFF the drugs until you see the doc.  You’re likely not doing yourself any favors self-medicating.  The sawbones can really help you out there.  He/she may prescribe PT, pain drugs, simple exercises, or even surgery…but chiros and drugs now are probably not a super fine idea.

There's plenty of info on the web too...but I still say go visit the doc.

Good luck!