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How do I get rid of lingering sciatic nerve pain?

 
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Katastrophe
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Joined: 15 Sep 2008
Posts: 24
Location: ATX

PostPosted: Mon May 04, 2009 4:53 pm GMT +0000    Post subject: How do I get rid of lingering sciatic nerve pain? Reply with quote

Hi Doc!
I fell back in January at Comfort, sprained my SI joint, and as a result had sciatic nerve pain extending all the way through my foot. Through PT and anti-inflammatories, the pain went away to some degree, but it's now May and I'm still battling sciatic nerve pain every time i ride either road or mt. bike. I have absolutely no power in my left leg to turn over pedals. Are there other forms of treatment or a way to permanently rid myself of sciatica? And yes, I sit at a desk all week long. Thank you for any advice you can provide

Really frustrated,
Kathy
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fallGuy
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PostPosted: Tue May 05, 2009 7:08 pm GMT +0000    Post subject: Reply with quote

sorry to hear about this....

I have a similar injury. I am not sure if it was explained, but the disk has a hard outter shell and a softer inner. It sounds like you herniated the disk. It gets a buldge on one side that basically pinches the nerve against the bone.

This means that the outter shell has ruptured. There could be fragments floating around which will be absorbed by the body over time. The thing to keep in mind is that you need to allow time for that outter shell to heal. I am not a doc but I would suggest several months at the minimum.

you don't want to risk this.... if you screw it up real bad you could require a fusion which will be a life changing event. you won't be able to ride again, run, jump, etc. Be super careful and take care of it for now.

It has been 15 years since my injury. For a while I would have flare ups every 2 years or so. Felt like the nerve down my butt into my foot was plugged into a electric socket. I go to the ER, get some morphine, then start on anti inflamitories and pain killers. I limp around for about a month or so and maybe 3 months later I can run again.

There is a new procedure that they do that is ortho with a lazer to trim off the budge. you are back at work in a week. I considered this the last time I had a flare up but by the time I got in to see the doc it was getting better and so I put it off. They said not to do the surgery unless I really couldn't stand the pain or I lost control of bowl movements Shocked

take it easy - I would strongly suggest against pushing it. Don't try to stretch it, read up on the web about it. There are no blood vessels in the disks, they get everything they need from the spinal fluid. So walking to get it to more around is about as good as it gets.

hope this helps --- don't let it get you down. Most people over 30 years old have herniated disk. But only a lucky few experience pain from them....
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Katastrophe
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PostPosted: Wed May 06, 2009 11:23 am GMT +0000    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for the note. I'm seeing a highly recommended chiropractor today and a spine doctor who used to treat a slipped cervical disc in my neck next week. I am so frustrated, but luckily still have control of my bowels. Wink
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fallGuy
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PostPosted: Wed May 06, 2009 2:06 pm GMT +0000    Post subject: Reply with quote

there is also a relatively new drug called lycera. I got a sample a while back but fortunately I have not had the need to try it.

The doc told me it would pretty much turn off that nerve pain. The problem I saw with it though is it might allow me to really create a real problem if there is no pain telling me to stop.

take care!
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Scott S
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Joined: 01 May 2003
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Location: Houston, TX

PostPosted: Thu May 07, 2009 8:02 am GMT +0000    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm gonna throw in my 2 cents worth....Starting almost 20 years ago, I would have periodic spells of pain related to neck disc deterioration. For years an occasional trip to the chiropractor and just waiting it out seemed to relieve the symptoms. Around 2005 it went into crisis mode with pain/numbness radiating into my right arm, couldn't ride, couldn't sleep, etc. I tried chiro again and it hurt too bad so I went to see my orthopedic doctor who had treated my broken leg the year before. He admitted to being kind of out of his league but after a MRI tried giving me first oral steroids (didn't help), then a series of cortisone shots which provided around 7 months of relief before the pain returned with gusto. I went back to the pain management specialist who gave me the shots and he told me "you know these things aren't good for you, it's too soon to give you any more." Wow. I went back to the ortho who said he would send me to a spinal specialist from his group and I was set for that appointment two weeks out. As I left his office, his staff PT pulled me aside and told me to get a book entitled "7 Steps to a Painfree Life" by Robin MacKenzie. I bought it online at Amazon, started the incredibly simple exercises in it and within a few days I was already feeling better. By the time I saw the spinal specialist I was already 80% or better. I told him what I'd been doing and he was very familiar with the "MacKenzie Method" and a big fan of it. He told me to keep it up and hopefully he'd never have to see me again. Three years later and no more visits to anyone for it. The deterioration is there due to age and abuse and it will always be there to some extent but as long as I continue the simple exercise regimen the real pain stays away. The book I recommended has exercises both for neck and back. The author basically got tired of being tossed back and forth between various treatments and did not want surgery so he kind of found this on his own. It changed my life for the better and has done so for at least three other people I have given it to as well.
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Rocky Hill and Warda Race Director; TMBRA President
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fallGuy
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PostPosted: Fri May 08, 2009 6:21 am GMT +0000    Post subject: Reply with quote

just ordered the book - thanks!

not having any problems right now, but this is probably the time to start so I can avoid any.....
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The Bike Doc
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Joined: 08 May 2003
Posts: 1398
Location: Corpus Christi and Warda, Texas

PostPosted: Sun May 17, 2009 4:54 pm GMT +0000    Post subject: Re: How do I get rid of lingering sciatic nerve pain? Reply with quote

Katastrophe wrote:
Hi Doc!
I fell back in January at Comfort, sprained my SI joint, and as a result had sciatic nerve pain extending all the way through my foot. Through PT and anti-inflammatories, the pain went away to some degree, but it's now May and I'm still battling sciatic nerve pain every time i ride either road or mt. bike. I have absolutely no power in my left leg to turn over pedals. Are there other forms of treatment or a way to permanently rid myself of sciatica? And yes, I sit at a desk all week long. Thank you for any advice you can provide

Really frustrated,
Kathy


Kathy:

My apologies for being late in getting back to you. I have been buried in work and have not had time free to visit the forum. The lack of power in your left leg is concerning. It indicates either disuse weakness or worse, impairment of the nerve signal to the muscles in the legs. This can occur when there is something such as a herniated disc, bone spur, bone compression or vertebral slippage is impinging on the nerve. With the symptoms persisting this long an evaluation by your doctor is in order. He or she may seek the advise of an orthopedic doctor for further guidance. Do pursue further evaluation.

Thanks,
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AKA: The Bike Doc
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