Does anyone else get sciatic pain?

I have it in my hips. Wouldn't you know it has been pretty good all winter. Now that I want to be working outside, it is flaring up again.

I did take therapy last summer. It helped somewhat, but stopped going and it seemed to slowly clear up.

I do take Mobic daily and it does help a lot, but lately I have been forgetting to take it and I pay for it later in the day. I am like a machine with no oil! There is so much to do outside on such beautiful days it makes me so mad to feel like this. It won't keep me inside, but I just don't get everything done I want to.

Any personal experience with this? Thanks

Do you know the source of the pain? I had it come on all of a sudden about 5 years ago, thinking it was a pulled muscle or something. Months of excruciating pain later, I finally got an MRI and found out it was sciatica caused by a herniated disc in my back. Three injections later, the pain is completely gone with only the rare cold-weather flareup.

Wow, thats great. It is a pinched nerve and they had me doing stretchs and put me on a traction board.

The thing is, I could go back but it seems to take forever to get relief. If it continues to be like this I may need to get it looked at again.

I will ask about the shot. Taking pills is really not something I like.

Thanks for the reply. Hope you keep feeling good.

You don't look in here often enough. Lots of people with back issues on this forum.

What is your back problem? No, not the pinched nerve, that's the vaguest term you can use. Is it a disc - bulging or herniated/leaking? Is it the facet joints? other? While injections can help, they work better for some things. If it's arthritis narrowing how much space a nerve has you may get less relief from injections - it can be iffy per person and per injection. Some eventually get the nerves around the area burned off.

I have a torn bulging disc, facet joint arthritis, and SI joint dysfunction/arthritis. Lots of pain in my hips and pelvis from all of that and some into my legs. I can't take stuff daily because it makes my headache (can't use plural for something that never goes away ) worse. Make sure they keep an eye on your liver and kidneys. The older NSAIDs in that class can do some damage - and Mobic is just another name for metacam.

Well, a ton of information. You know I don't know exactly what is going on. They said a pinched nerve, but I never had any MRI's or other tests. She just assumed from my symptoms that is it. I believe it is a bulging disc that is pinching the nerve.

Honestly, I take better care of my cats than I do myself. But I think I am preaching to the choir!

So, from what you say, long term use of mobic ain't good!

I can't imagine how you must feel. My goodness. You must have a very strong constitution to endure all that! Yet you have a good outlook. That's great.

Long term use of pretty much every medicine isn't really good. But we have to weigh our options. You have to keep the inflammation down in your back to prevent worse damage.

Get an MRI done. It doesn't hurt anything, though it is annoying laying there in it.
Do you see a regular doctor or a spine specialist? I suggest the latter is you're using the former. You will need a specialist if you decide to get injections, but you also need someone that is experienced with them to talk to you about the risks and benefits of epidural injections. While they're a huge help to a lot of people, sometimes they can go wrong and cause spinal damage. Everything has risks.

But, your current doc is probably right about the bulging disc(s). Since the pain is in the hip/pelvic girdle area it's likely something going on at L4-L5 and/or L5-S1 as that's a very common area for people to injure.

As for pain. I have a high tolerance and have had to deal with it my whole life. You cry and give up, or you keep going.

I had terrible sciatica all the way down to my foot, and it was apparently due to the fact that I needed a hip replacement. Sciatica all gone!

I do!! I have a TON of orthopedic AND neurological issues. They said that the sciatic pain in my case was from a torn and leaking disc, the disc below that one being buldging and pressing on the nerve AND I have arthritis and a misshaped vertbre all in my lower back. I had the injections and they didn't work.

Thankfully my neurologist put me on neurotin for the nerve pain I get everywhere else and that has handled the sicatic pain nicely.

But i find the most relief I get from back pain is stretching and exercise I have also found that I tend to throw out my back more when I slack off going to the gym.

But i hope you feel better soon!!

I've had sciatica off and on for about a dozen years, with enough pain to cause black-outs. Mine is due to two degenerated discs (a fractured back at 16 probably didn't help, either). What helps me is PT on a regular basis, and keeping up with the prescribed exercises. A water bed has also been a godsend. I still have bouts a couple of times a year, but they're now manageable.

Originally Posted by vampcow

They said that the sciatic pain in my case was from a torn and leaking disc, the disc below that one being buldging and pressing on the nerve AND I have arthritis and a misshaped vertbre all in my lower back.

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Did you steal my spine? Mine is arthritis, a torn leaking disc, and brought on early because of a vertebrae deformity. In my case it's a transitional vertebrae (easy to understand description). Since L5-S1 is fused it makes everything above it weaker and can make those disc herniate easier, but from what I understand the L5-S1 disc isn't very likely to ever herniate.

And yes, staying active and keeping one's back and abdominal muscles strong is very important to keep it from getting worse.

Oh man, I had no idea everyone has such back probs! You are all so knowledgeable too.

I know about spine injections, I just drove a friend to the hospital for one. Our insurance used to be good, but now it isn't. So, I guess I will have to think about therapy again. That was covered pretty well.

I have one of those air beds. It does nothing to help my back, never could find the right number! Actually, when I come down and lay on the couch, the pain gets better. Who knows.

You have all given me some ideas to bring up to the doctor. As soon as I get my care credit from the vet paid off, I will tend to ME!!

I have a pain that goes across my left thigh diagonally about midway between hip and knee. If I am sitting or laying down it is fine, but once I'm on my feet for longer than 10 minutes, it is a killer! I will take 600 mg. of Ibuprofen to give me some relief. I don't know what is causing it, but I'm about ready to ask the doc for a handicapped sticker, lol!

^I wonder if the problem area on your back may be a slightly higher up on the lumbar spine. (just pondering here).

Originally Posted by farleyv

As soon as I get my care credit from the vet paid off, I will tend to ME!!

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Good luck with that!
My back felt much better after getting a new mattress - it's a traditional spring mattress with a pillow top, but fairly firm and supports my back well. Before that I would be more likely to have my back flare up badly and stay that way for days. Now I can usually sleep it off and have less pain the next day.

OMG! Do I!!!

A month ago or so I had such severe sciatic nerve pain in my right hip radiating down to my knee! I ended up missing a day of work because I couldn't even stand up!

I went to the chiro a few times and that helped a little, but then I decided to book myself in for a massage. The guy did deep tissue massage to the muscles in the area and at the end of the massage I was actually able to walk upright. The next day I had a few twinges and the day after I had no pain! I've been sciatic nerve pain free since.

However, the sciatic nerve pain was so bad that I ended up limping badly on my left leg, and as a result I hurt my left knee! So now I'm still limping and using a cane.

I strongly recommend booking an appointment with a massage clinic for a deep tissue massage.

Another person here with loads of back/hip/knee problems. I've had the sciatica that runs all the way down your leg to your foot. My chiropractor is a god-send. I've also done many courses of pt over the years, and try to find time to do the different exercises I've been given.
I have a herniated disk, torn cartilage in one knee, and have torn my left glute (you would not BELIEVE how painful that was). For those who don't know what a glute is, it's that huge muscle in your butt cheek. After 10 years, I still have pain from the resulting scar tissue. Add in the arthritis in my spine and knees, and you can see I'm a mess.
Seriously, tho, if I didn't see my chiro. on a regular basis I don't think I'd still be mobile.

My dad had it for many years to the point where he sometimes couldnt even get out of bed but after about 10 or so years he needed to have his appendix removed and hes never had problems since, bit strange that one

my mam has it accupuncture helps her but they wont do it at the moment for other reasons but shes now at the point where shes dragging her leg and in constant pain

Originally Posted by jcat

I've had sciatica off and on for about a dozen years, with enough pain to cause black-outs. Mine is due to two degenerated discs (a fractured back at 16 probably didn't help, either). What helps me is PT on a regular basis, and keeping up with the prescribed exercises. A water bed has also been a godsend. I still have bouts a couple of times a year, but they're now manageable.

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Best advice right there....keeping up with the exercises and stretches they had you doing while in PT even when you aren't having pain can help to stop future problems. The stronger and more limber your back it, the more it can take.

I have bulging discs in my lower back and have problems with sciatica off and on. I try to do the stretches regularly but sometimes life just interferes and I slack off....and can tell later!

One thing that helped me a lot during PT is the 10's unit (I think that's what it's called...where you get electrical pulses into your muscles?). It was so relaxing I would fall asleep on the table (complete with snoring! ) until they woke me up, but it really helped? You can buy them on line for only a few hundred. I haven't been able to afford one yet, but hopefully soon....because I've been slacking again.

Also, if you can sleep on your back, try to put something under your knees. That helps take pressure off and stretches your back out.

Everyone is different but these are things that help me. Hope you feel better soon!

Originally Posted by calico2222

You can buy them on line for only a few hundred. I haven't been able to afford one yet, but hopefully soon....because I've been slacking again.

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Do you have health insurance? DH was able to get his completely free. The guy that brought it out (130+ mile trip for this guy, too, but he also had other clients) to show DH how to use it told him that he would make sure it wouldn't cost us a thing!

I can't use tens, though. There's something weird with my back. Some spots are completely numb to the electrical stimulation and others spots are hyper sensitive to where it feels like a bunch of hot needles are digging into my skin, even on the lowest setting. My PT was fascinated by this for some reason. I also can't have deep tissue massage. It's incredibly painful and makes me swell. I can only assume that it's because when I'm very sore that it's because I'm currently having active inflammation.

Just started getting this about 2 months ago. Been seeing a chiro for different back issues when it happend. He did some streching thing to me once a week for about a month and it's somewhat cleared up. He mushed the heck out of my spine and just said "It's not a disc".

Hope you feel better soon. Chiro did say sciatic pain is not something you want to have.

Originally Posted by calico2222

One thing that helped me a lot during PT is the 10's unit (I think that's what it's called...where you get electrical pulses into your muscles?). It was so relaxing I would fall asleep on the table (complete with snoring!

) until they woke me up, but it really helped? You can buy them on line for only a few hundred. I haven't been able to afford one yet, but hopefully soon....because I've been slacking again.

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TENS. Stands for Trans Electrical Nerve Stimulation.

I have one. Well, it's similar to one. It's by "Dr. Ho" the head of a pain clinic in Toronto. His not only stimulates the nerves, but also the muscles which help strengthen the area as well as decrease pain. His machine can be had for about $100.00, but I don't know if they ship to the USA. The last I saw they didn't. Something about different health regulations.