update: MRI, neurosurgeon, surgery
I am new to the forum and to having sciatic problems. THANK YOU!! It is great to hear what others are doing as I too need a strategy to deal with the pain and get back on my feet. My family Dr recommended decompression therapy. From what I read here it sometime works and sometimes not. In any case I found out my insurance would only pay a mximum of $6 per visit. the chiroparactor wants $100 per treatment and there are 20 treatements. So I contacted two physiatrists in a neighboring town (there are none in the town where I live. One wanted to do epiderials. Since I started Dean's exercises two days ago I feel some improvement and that route sounds very scary. i don't like the idea of steriods unless there is no way out--like surgery. I still have some difficulty sleeping but am optimistic based on info on the forum. The second Physiatrist was going to contact my DR fo9r the MRI and is supposed to call me back today. Since this office does a lot of different things--compression therapy, physical therapy, etc I am hoping they can help to speed healing. I am a competetive ballroom dancer so it is rewaaly difficult not to be able to dance and soccalize and go places. Sitting is still not an option for me so driving, even to the Dr is painful. I aviod it to the extent I can but have to make some appointments and occasionally go to the grocery store, etc.
Hi Leigh
I also experienced a dramatic weakness in my calf, and other leg, muscles, for the better part of the first year of sciatica (yes, nerve recovery is slow). So I had the limp, and involuntary (and unpredictable) loss of muscle control, you write about, Leigh. Pretty scary stuff.
I also had a similar experience that your 2nd-opinion physiatrist had. No more limp, no discernable difference in leg strength (now literallly running around again). Why? My best guess is doing flexibility and strengthening exercises daily, including the ones you mentioned doing, Leigh.
I'm not certain why exercising works, just that it seems to have worked for me ... and made surgery or other, more aggressive treatments unnecessary.
Very glad to read you're moving forward, with realistic hope, on the employment front. That's a biggee: having real hope. Don't leave home without it!
Randolph
I also experienced a dramatic weakness in my calf, and other leg, muscles, for the better part of the first year of sciatica (yes, nerve recovery is slow). So I had the limp, and involuntary (and unpredictable) loss of muscle control, you write about, Leigh. Pretty scary stuff.
I also had a similar experience that your 2nd-opinion physiatrist had. No more limp, no discernable difference in leg strength (now literallly running around again). Why? My best guess is doing flexibility and strengthening exercises daily, including the ones you mentioned doing, Leigh.
I'm not certain why exercising works, just that it seems to have worked for me ... and made surgery or other, more aggressive treatments unnecessary.
Very glad to read you're moving forward, with realistic hope, on the employment front. That's a biggee: having real hope. Don't leave home without it!
Randolph
Hey Randolph,
It's very good to hear that you had similar symptoms of muscle weakness and have recovered. I'm glad you are no longer limping and can now run again!
I hope my healing goes as well as yours has. Recovery from this injury has taken months, and the doctor did say to think in terms of a year for healing the muscle weakness.
I spent December, January, and most of February totally housebound. It's SO GREAT to now be able to get out and about again (even if it is at a slower pace than normal).
- Leigh
It's very good to hear that you had similar symptoms of muscle weakness and have recovered. I'm glad you are no longer limping and can now run again!
I hope my healing goes as well as yours has. Recovery from this injury has taken months, and the doctor did say to think in terms of a year for healing the muscle weakness.
I spent December, January, and most of February totally housebound. It's SO GREAT to now be able to get out and about again (even if it is at a slower pace than normal).
- Leigh
That's really great to read, Leigh, that you're out of the house and resuming doing normal life activities.
Just returned from an hour long walk with the family around the neighborhood, enjoying the spring weather and first blooms of forsythia, flowing quince, daffodils and camelias. We also took along a jumprope, and had jumping contests to see who could jump the longest. We were all happily winded, especially me - no problems ... just playing like one of the kids again! Hard to believe that a year ago it was a supreme challenge to get in the car to shop at Walmart, and walk from the car to the store and back to the car again. One step at a time.
Randolph
Just returned from an hour long walk with the family around the neighborhood, enjoying the spring weather and first blooms of forsythia, flowing quince, daffodils and camelias. We also took along a jumprope, and had jumping contests to see who could jump the longest. We were all happily winded, especially me - no problems ... just playing like one of the kids again! Hard to believe that a year ago it was a supreme challenge to get in the car to shop at Walmart, and walk from the car to the store and back to the car again. One step at a time.
Randolph
Re: update: MRI, neurosurgeon, surgery
Hello guys!
My name is Didar & am 41 F. Back in Jan 2011 I started having lower back pain & some sciatica while sitting only & did an MRI which showed L4-L5 to be 2mm & L5-S1 to be 6mm. I didn't do anything and the sciatica went away after a few weeks on its own. About 4 weeks ago, due to a lot of driving siting forward & twisting motions I herniated again on L5-S1 which is 7.6 mm now and an annular tear on the L4-L5 disc. Apparently L4-L5 herniation has resolved by now. I had severe back pain & sciatica & was crippling , no walking more than 1 min, no sitting at all, no bending, no driving & home bound only. The pain has gotten slightly better to a point where I am using less pain meds now. currently seeing acupuncturist. I saw a neurosurgeon which only wants to do the surgery. I asked him to give me sometimes to see if PT can heal it. He said you can try but is very painful. I have pain down my right leg along with burning sensation & tingling but no muscle weakness. I am trying to stay away from the surgery. I have started PT but very slowly but honestly don't have a very motivated PT. I want your opinion guys as to how & where can I start the exercises. what exercises should I start with. PLS PLS I need help in this regard. where do I start. My core muscles are very weak & I have been laying for a long time in bed. tnx guys
Dear Dean if you see this message pls guide me through. Let me know about the type of exercises I can do to treat this. Tnx a lot.
My name is Didar & am 41 F. Back in Jan 2011 I started having lower back pain & some sciatica while sitting only & did an MRI which showed L4-L5 to be 2mm & L5-S1 to be 6mm. I didn't do anything and the sciatica went away after a few weeks on its own. About 4 weeks ago, due to a lot of driving siting forward & twisting motions I herniated again on L5-S1 which is 7.6 mm now and an annular tear on the L4-L5 disc. Apparently L4-L5 herniation has resolved by now. I had severe back pain & sciatica & was crippling , no walking more than 1 min, no sitting at all, no bending, no driving & home bound only. The pain has gotten slightly better to a point where I am using less pain meds now. currently seeing acupuncturist. I saw a neurosurgeon which only wants to do the surgery. I asked him to give me sometimes to see if PT can heal it. He said you can try but is very painful. I have pain down my right leg along with burning sensation & tingling but no muscle weakness. I am trying to stay away from the surgery. I have started PT but very slowly but honestly don't have a very motivated PT. I want your opinion guys as to how & where can I start the exercises. what exercises should I start with. PLS PLS I need help in this regard. where do I start. My core muscles are very weak & I have been laying for a long time in bed. tnx guys
Dear Dean if you see this message pls guide me through. Let me know about the type of exercises I can do to treat this. Tnx a lot.