Sciatica state, can anyone relate?

I’ve been diagnosed by a doctor as having sciatica since late November and although I’ve seemed to have done all the right things such as daily stretching, physiotherapy etc., it has come to a stage now where it is getting much worse and at times pretty much unbearable.

For those unfamiliar with Sciatica (I’d never heard of it myself before I got it!), it’s fundamentally a nerve pain that starts from the sciatic nerve located in the lower back (that is often brought on by a severe injury) and travels through the buttock/hip and down the large sciatic nerve in the back of the leg. As a result, I have a bulging disc in the vertebral column which is putting pressure on the radicular nerve (nerve root) in the lower back, which forms part of the sciatic nerve.

Initially, my doctor referred me to see a PT (Physiotherapist). I knew this would be an expensive exercise, especially if I had to go weekly, but I was willing to try it at any cost if there was a chance it might help. Besides, I didn’t have any other better options at this point. The first appointment with the PT seemed to go along fine at first thought. I was a little sore afterwards for the first couple of hours but then soon felt better after that. However, late in the afternoon, the pain returned to normal. This happens normally, it’s often worse in the morning when I first wake and late afternoon/night. Anyway, I went to my third appointment, which happened to be the week before Christmas. A time of year I don’t usually cope too well with!

Again, the same thing happened, soreness, then a short period of relief and then Whamo! Welcome back, mr. sciatica! At the time, I was actually feeling a bit positive about it because a) I had been losing weight (I had been the heaviest I’ve ever been in my whole life last year!), which was good, especially since being overweight can worsen the symptoms and reduce the chances with recovery. b) I was told by the PT that she was confident that my condition wasn’t too severe as I had a lot of flexibility in my joints and a generally strong physique. I was told that if I do all my stretches with regular exercise and treatment, I should be recovered in 6 weeks. I started doing swimming (which I was advised to do) but this only managed to give me more pain. I was also advised to walk as much as I can. This was more beneficial but some days it wasn’t. What next..?

Soon after Christmas I found I was getting worse, particularly at night. I was getting numbness in my leg with pins and needles in my knee which ran down to my foot. It’s very hard to describe, it’s more of an uncomfortable feeling more than a painful one. It makes me terribly restless. Even now as I’m typing, I can feel my knee joints stiffen up. It’s frustrating because it is at its worse when I lay down to try and sleep. This has been happening every night since! Every time this occurs, I have to start stretching (on my bed) and doing exercises like a motion that resembles riding a bicycle in the air. I do this to get the circulation going in my leg as it feels like the blood supply is cut off from the knee down. I have what I suspect is tendinitis in the knee and perhaps the sciatica is exacerbating it? Here I am doing exercises at 4am, it’s no wonder I can’t sleep properly… that, on top of having depression, anxiety, headaches/migraine and taking numerous pain-killers. Insomnia has been at its worse since contracting sciatica problems too.

Just last week, I tried out another PT for a second opinion and a new outlook. What did I have to lose? Again, I was told that I should recover in 6 weeks! What!? Prior to this appointment, I tried to get treatments through the Community Health (as it would be much less expensive) but the problem was (for me personally anyway) that there is only one PT doing that for the entire shire (try saying that 6 times very quickly! but then again, why would you want to lol)) but he was a male. I felt too embarrassed at the time to say I preferred a female and cancelled the appointment later instead. There was no point explaining why anyway.

Since seeing the new PT, my condition has worsened considerably. I don’t know whether this is just coincidental or not? I wasn’t too worried when I was first diagnosed because I felt confident that I would recover from it based mainly on specialist’s opinions. As you can imagine, my hope is waning at this point. Everything now seems to have spread from my sciatic nerves to my whole nervous system. So what’s scaring me most now is not the sciatica but my inner self.

Many of us suffer from sciatic nerve pain as part of our pain syndromes, but it can have many causes. It appears that convervative measures like physical therapy aren't working for you, and I would recommend you ask for a consult with either a neurologist or othopoedist to see if they can determine what is causing your pain. Nerve pain and muscle pain are different; physical therapists can help with muscle pain, and if it's the muscle that's compressing the nerve, the pain may be relieved. Certainly it helps to have our muscle be relaxed, but that may not solve nerve pain which has other causes, such as compression in the spine. Sounds to me like you need a more comprehensive evaluation. One thing many of us have learned the hard way is that the longer you let nerves be damaged, the less likely they are to heal if you do have some kind of surgical procedure. So you don't want to wait months and months as it's getting worse to find out what the source of the pain is.

Hi Fabian,
As others said, "don't let this go too long!". You definitely need to get this checked out by a good ortho or neuro guy. Sounds like you may have a disc problem, maybe a bulging disc. If it is a bulging disc physical and or decompression therapies can often times get it back in shape again. While doing therapy ask your doc about getting a epidural spinal block. This will help get you back on your feet again by allowing you to better perform the prescribed exercise regimen. If you do get the blocks don't give up after the first or second block. Often times people won't see relief until after the third one.
I wish you all the best with your pain. I know how bad it can get!
Have a Blessed Day
Volfan

I applaud you for your efforts to get better, especially losing weight, which should reduce the strain and compression on your spine.  I've found over my last 4 years of sciatic pain that doctors, therapists, whatever, will treat patients the way they know how, regardless of the situation.  Hence, the "6 weeks" diagnosis you got twice.  Funny, it didn't work the first time, but the next one thinks it will!  Jeez. 

Quote:  I have a bulging disc in the vertebral column which is putting pressure on the radicular nerve (nerve root) in the lower back, which forms part of the sciatic nerve.

See a neurosurgeon, preferably one that's not prone to cutting as the first option.  How was this diagnosed??  You'd need an MRI to show this, which, in my layman's opinion, should be your next step.  Also, IMO, rarely will P/T fix this.  However, most surgeries to trim a bulging disc aren't that invasive, though you'd probably want to try an injection or two before going that route. 

As to your knees, sounds to me like you're working too hard.  Walking, swimming, P/T.....   Like I said before, I applaud your effort, but this is a type of problem that "out-working it" isn't usually the best strategy.  Trust me on this one.  Best of luck.

Anon 

Sorry, Fabian...This is apparently and 'Angry Day'....Yes, the longer a nreve is compressed the more damage is done...If you can have a more comprehensive exam, do it.  Hope you find the answer!

 

   As I sit here typing this I am in so much pain   I have called a neurosurgeon today, am waiting for a return call.  I have been dealing with back problems for the past three or four years.  But the scitica has gotten so bad I can hardly straighten my back.  Can't sleep, the pain feels like it's deep in my buttocks and goes all the way down to my foot.  In the mornings it's the worst, I sit there in bed and pray that God will help me to be able to get out of bed.

   I have been through brain surgery, and honestly I think the sciatica is worse.  I saw a pain management doctor and they told me to try epidural injections (steriod) I have it scheduled but I'm scared.  I went through pt and it wasn't to much help, took zaneflex,hydrocodone, some kind of patch with no relief.

  I'm waiting for the neruo to call, because I wanted to ask her if she thought the injections would do me any good before I go through that pain.  I have a protruding disc at L4-L5 and a degenerative disc.  My back has never hurt me so bad.  So I really feel for anybody that suffers with this pain.  Please say a prayer for me today, the pain is really getting me down.  I am so used to stayiny active and not being able to do much of anything is killing me.

  God Bless,

  Mercyme

 First time responding but felt like I needed to repond to your post. Well like you I called my surgeon yesterday. I just cannot take the worsening pain any longer. I am at this moment on Opana, Fentanal patch, percoset and now roxicodone starting today. As you know the pain is just unbearable and I am still trying to work. I had my last surgery for my lower back last june. They thought I had an infection in my back and they would not do the fusion just went in a cleaned the disc because of the prior surgeon has left disc material loose in my back. Now I have been gettingworse the last few weeks. Left leg and buttock pain.  I tried to hold out but can't anymore. Got to have the fusion and hopefully I will get better. Wishing you a letup from the pain. Grannyof2

Sweet home Alabama

I don't want this to sound like a horror story, but if I knew then what I know now, I might have saved myself several years of excruciating pain, strained relationships with my family, depression, and a very promising career that is quickly going down the drain.

If 1 round of P/T doesn't work, get an MRI ASAP.  And, review the report YOURSELF.  I recently discovered that an MRI my doctors called "normal" that was done 3 years ago actually showed a small bulge in the L4-5 disc. A little research on the 'net will tell you the size of the bulge and the amount of pain you experience has no corrollation. Large herniations may cause no pain, while small bulges may be excruciating.  I previously asked, TWICE, if a provocative discography would be beneficial as a diagnostic tool, but my surgeon said it wasn't necessary.  Now that I've changed surgeons, the first thing done was the discography, which revealed a badly torn L4-5 disc.  After 4 years, it's pretty obvious this won't heal on it's own, so now I'm scheduled for disc removal and fusion, as I'm not a good candidate for the newer prosthetic disc procedure. 

I've not only endured daily pain, but so many procedures, excruciating trigger point injections, surgery, P/T, osteopathic and chiropractic manipulations, countless dollars spent and suffering that could largely have been avoided had I had a doctor smart enough to run the correct diagnostic tests.  Damaged discs can be a source of pain, even without any compression of adjacent nerve roots.  Only a provocative discography will diagnose this. 

I had, supposedly, the best doctors in my area, plus got a second opinion from unrelated surgeons, and still didn't get the appropriate treatment.  Seek out the BEST spine specialists you can find, and travel if you must.  Do some research online and search these boards for recommendations.  I've heard great things about the Cleveland Clinic and the Texas Back Institute, though I'm sure there are many others.  I wish you the best of luck.  PM me and I can give you some links for a quick education.   

Anon

Epidural injections are successful for some people, and I sincerely hope you are among that group.  Good luck and God Bless.

Anon