Sciatica

[rvsalesguy]

Recently, as you all know I got in a pretty not so nice car accident. Since the accident I've been having lower back pain & shooting pains in what seems to be my sciatic nerve area..

I'm not sure how the sciatic nerve gets damaged, or what causes it. But would a car accident be enough for that to happen? I hate doctors & don't wanna have to go in, but it's been getting increasingly worse lately.

 

[dug_less]

Shooting pain from your hip all the way down to your foot? If that is your symptom, then you definitely are having a bout of sciatica. Pain meds help minimally. Best course of action is a good anti inflammatory and possibly/maybe prednisone. I've dealt with it a couple of times over the years, and it can be very painful and unpredictable. Sometimes the pain would shoot down my leg so quick, I'd almost fall over. Hope you get over it soon.

 

[nickiean]

I have had 2 back surgeries for nerve impingement & I can tell you it is the worst kind of pain. Pain melds only help that a minimal amount. The surgery did help mine but I realize that is not an option for everyone. Sorry you are in pain. I'm dealing with neck pain & have the pain radiating down my arms. I am going to have it injected this Fri. & hope it helps. It is miserable. Nickiean

 

[bigs210]

Yes I have had the same problem for many many years a bulging disc or herniated disc can push against the nerve and so can cause shooting pains down to your legs and feet they say the preds help but they don't help me and I can't take them they make me mean as a rattlesnake.  I have many of those just sitring here lol. I been dealing w ith it since I was 23 and it does make it hard to do things like I use to there are some days I can't get out of bed or ro the bathroom the pain wears on you for sure

 

[Chief2717]

I had my first surgery, a laminectomy and discectomy in 2006. The removed part of the disc to help open up space where the disc was hitting the nerve. Contrary to what you think bending forward does not bring relief, it actually pushes the disc against the nerve. Bending backwards so your back is arched helps to open up space and may provide some temporary relief, even if you feel that leg pain a bit.

The best thing  you can do is keep your core strong and stay in shape so further back issues don't plague you. I didn't and I just re-herniated the disc a year ago playing golf. I do physical therapy and mange with advil, the pain killer route is wayyyyy too expensive, sometimes we just have to grin and bear it. The leg pain has slowly receded so that now I only occasionally feel it through my back and buttocks and upper thigh. It does get better. If you need to, definitely see a professional. 

 

[Jools]

I feel for others who have sciatic nerve pain. I have had it for years and the treatments have basically been varying pain meds then anti inflammatory meds in addition but they don't work. I've had a high dose of corticosteroid orally and still no relief. I was referred to my local pain clinic and they have now injected into the spine, a mixture of steroid called Kenalog along with a local anasthaetic. This is called a nerve block and it's the best that I have had since this has affected me. The nerve block tends to last around 6-8 weeks now but used to be longer 

I had my last one just last week and they are now booking me in for surgery. I too have days where my leg just buckles and it can get some very funny looks indeed. I have to say that there is an element of karma here as I used to poke fun at people who kept on about sciatica. I did not understand the level of pain and subsequent low mood because of it. 

I wish you all the very best 

 

[Ddavis1966]

 Hi all, I have chronic sciatica my left leg down to the heel of my foot. The best medicine that I have found for sciatica is Trileptal.   It is a seizure medicine but it blocks nerve pain. The bad part is that it lowers your IQ about 10 to 20 points,  I needed those IQ points in order to keep my job so I had to quit taking it. I can tell you that opioid pain medication does very little to control this  type of pain. I am now taking Cymbalta, and that takes the edge off, as well as using a tens unit.   You just stick the patches onto your lower back and down wires connect to a tens device that fits in your pocket.    I would suggest getting a "bio tends 2",  search up around the Internet and you can find them for less than $40.  Here is a link, this one is only  $28 .  http://www.expressmed.com/product/daily-living-aids/73959-182151/bio-protech-maxtens-1000-analog-tens-unit.html?utm_source=googleproductads&utm_medium=cpc&gclid=CIL3gMnds88CFQMdaQodbNgDZw

 

[zarazoo]

I just switched to Cymbalta from effexor for this reason especially.  I am hoping that it helps since injections sometimes can cause more pain and when I get the pain I start to crave the pain meds.   No pain no cravings its a crazy cycle I take muscle relaxers practically nightly and still it sucks hard.  I have a great physical therapist but damn does it hurt right now. 

 

[ElectroNymph]

I often find that DHC is prescribed for this condition, depending on where you live. There are online pharmacies that sell it. 

Search a few keywords on here.

 

[Deepnorth]

I have lived with it for 30 years. Anyone that has seen my posts knows I am a fan of Kratom. You have to know your strains though and I'm not a good reference on that. Off topic and not something I can partake in but medicinal Mary Jane (if you live in a legal place) should be helpful to settle those nerve endings. Mine gets so bad that I feel my leg is about to detach and my foot will hurt so bad I can't walk in it. Forget about sleeping on that side. It is a no go as well.

 

[DippityDoo]

 Hi all, I have chronic sciatica my left leg down to the heel of my foot. The best medicine that I have found for sciatica is Trileptal.   It is a seizure medicine but it blocks nerve pain. The bad part is that it lowers your IQ about 10 to 20 points,  I needed those IQ points in order to keep my job so I had to quit taking it. I can tell you that opioid pain medication does very little to control this  type of pain. I am now taking Cymbalta, and that takes the edge off, as well as using a tens unit.   You just stick the patches onto your lower back and down wires connect to a tens device that fits in your pocket.    I would suggest getting a "bio tends 2",  search up around the Internet and you can find them for less than $40.  Here is a link, this one is only  $28 .  http://www.expressmed.com/product/daily-living-aids/73959-182151/bio-protech-maxtens-1000-analog-tens-unit.html?utm_source=googleproductads&utm_medium=cpc&gclid=CIL3gMnds88CFQMdaQodbNgDZw

My shooting leg pain was only deep inside the buttock then halfway down the back of the my thigh, not the entire length of the leg which would have buckled me down big-time.  That deep literal pain in the ass felt like a constant drilling or pressure on something, like some psycho reincarnated teensy-tiny Dr. Franken Sarah Palinstein had gotten into my butt cheek to drill baby drill!, whilst reading her surgical instructions off the cheat sheet she'd written on the palm of her hand.

I have read that Neurontin and others in that class of drugs can help with deep unrelenting nerve-related leg pain, especially that which occurs worst at night.  This nerve pain is different than restless legs syndrome, though both syndromes rob patients of priceless sleep.

I tried a TENS unit recommended by my physical therapy about 20 years ago and didn't feel worse or better afterward.  Of course TENS technology has great improved in two decades, but I still don't see how the TENS unit knows which nerve to stimulate and why stimulating an already inflamed and irritated nerve would provide relief.  One common complain amongst sciatica sufferers is NOT that activity makes it worse, but SITTING makes it worse.  Maybe that's why the TENS unit works from some; it's stimulating a nerve that's being pinched by the pressure of sitting with all that lumbar pressure pushing on the bundle of nerves involved.

 

[Deepnorth]

Do- you got that dead on. Unfortunately, sitting is the majority of what I do for a living but I try to get up when a break presents for just that reason. It is unrelenting. Good luck to you too.

 

[Ddavis1966]

I did just recently get a veridesk so you can sit and stand when you want.  It doesn't relieve all my pain but it certainly helps a bunch!  I got a Dr's note from my chiropractor.  And m company was kind enough to get one for me.  It's a small company so they were able to deduct half the cost  based on the reasonable accommodation tax laws. I think a larger company would be required to make the reasonable accommodation.