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Serve nerve Pain

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charlotte1988
charlotte1988

Hello i don't really know where to start, I had sciatica bout 3/4 months ago then wen it first started. Pain eas horrible but I still could manage to work and do small bit and pieces. Non of the medication did much so I went and had acupuncture, this really helped and after my fourth session it had nearly all gone away. 6 weeks later it came back, started in my back and then slowly worked it way down my right side . I went and had acupuncture again twice and saw an osteopathy but it just got worse and worse as the days went on. I'm now on my 12th day in bed as I can't walk sit or stand due to the horrendous pain in my nerves . I seen doctors 4 time but nothing has help. I've been urgently referred to the spinal unit buy haven't heard anything yet. I'm so depressed and as I have a 7 year old little girl and I can't do anything for her . Even trying to go to the toilet is a mission I cry as the pain is so intense. I don't no what to do any more. I do some excerises in bed but nothing works. It's weird because I cn lift my leg in bed but cnt put any pressure on it wen standing or sitting as the nerve pain is to intense .

1 like, 7 replies

7 Replies

  • Gomer44
    Gomer44 charlotte1988

    Posted

    Sounds exactly like me before both my surgeries. You need to keep pushing to get in to see a neurosergeon and get a mri. There comes a time when surgery is the only choice you have to get relief. You will be happy you did.
  • debbie26682
    debbie26682 charlotte1988

    Posted

    Hi Charlotte, this sounds very similar to me too, I had sciatica pretty bad for a long time, then after an mri I found out I had a large disc bulge, I started doing a couple of stretches and my pain pretty much disappeared after 2 weeks for about 2 months. I then forgot I had a bad back, was messing about with my daughter and the next day was in the worse pain down my right side ever. I was stuck in bed for a week, like you had trouble even getting to the toilet, as soon as I stood up I would get the worse pain and tingling and numbness, but as soon as I laid down in a certain position the pain would go. I feel for you as you have a small daughter and I know how hard that must be for you, I'm lucky my 3 are all over 18 now so I had them and my husband to help. Anyway after a week my pain just went after doing the same stretches that I'd done the first time, not sure if that was the reason my pain stopped or not? but I am now just left with a limp and numbness in certain parts of my leg and foot which I am seeing the doctor about on Wednesday. I really hope your pain stops soon, what exercises are you doing? maybe their making it worse? 

    • charlotte1988
      charlotte1988 debbie26682

      Posted

      Hi thank you. I'm just doing some small excerises the doctor told me to do while I cn I bed. What excerise did you do to ease your pain . ?

    • debbie26682
      debbie26682 charlotte1988

      Posted

      Hi Charlotte before I found out I had a disc bulge I was sent to physio where the exercises they gave me were actually making me worse, which was when I was sent for an MRI, so be careful what your doing until you've had your scan. As soon as I found out what it was I was on YouTube searching for stretches for my condition and found a really good video, the 1st exercise I done was the standing lumbar extension, basically standing and gently leaning back, just as far as I felt comfortable and the only other ones were leaning over to the side stretch (like yoga) only to the opposite side of my pain, so as I was getting the pain down my right side, I would lean over to my left and just gently stretch out so the pressure was taken off the bulge which was pressing on the nerves and the other one is a bit hard to explain but I would lean over to my left side but forward slightly so my head was heading towards my left foot, again just stretching out my spine and the pain was pretty much gone by the second week of doing these, both times I've had it. You should obviously wait and see what your scan shows and what your doctor thinks first. How are you doing now? And have you got a date for your scan yet?

  • ihavenonickname
    ihavenonickname charlotte1988

    Posted

    Hi Charlotte

    I am so sorry. I know just what you are going through.

    Sometimes understanding what is going on helps...

    Brain and spinal cord are the central nervous system. Each vertebrae stacks on top of the previous vertebrae. Each vertebraa protects the spinal cord. But inbetween each vertebrae are two nerve roots...one comes out on tbe left side and innervates a specific region of the left body, the right nerve root innervates the same body region on the right.

    You have 8 cervical, 12 thoracic, 5 lumbar, and 3-5 fused sacral vertebrae. We number C2, T8, L5 so we can communicate and be understood. At the Lumbar Sacrum region the spinal cord biforcates, one innervating the left leg, the other innervates the right leg. At this biforcation the name becomes the sciatic nerve.

    The Sciatic nerve runs down deep inside the buttock through the Greater Sciatic Foramen (fancy word for, hole) and then down the back of the thigh arriving at the knee where it biforcates into the tibial nerve and the fibular nerve.

    So the question is, where is your nerve compression....It could be an L5 S1 disc compression. It could also be inflammation at the Greater Sciatic Foramen.

    Think about the anatomy, when you sit, the sciatic nerve stretches, and your full weight bears down on your buttock, and thus on the sciatic nerve. This compression causes pain at minimum and complete loss of function at the worst. The fact that you have so little function standing yet can lift your leg in bed makes perfect sense.

    I do not know what medication you were prescribed. If it was an NSAID, NSAIDs do not render the desired results as rapidly as a narcotic does. I suspect you were being treated for inflammation which takes time to resolve. The pain is a symptom of a nerve compression which is a symptom of inflammation.

    At the moment you need to rest (not to be confused with sleep). Place a heating pad in the vicinity of your lower back and buttock. If you can obtain a gel pack from the pharamist, freeze it and use it as well. I prefer the gel pack because they are flat, do not leak, and remain thermally stable longer. Some gel packs canbe both frozen and heated in the microwave.

    You mentioned 4 physicians...perhaps you will request some anti inflammatory medication. Also consider acetaminophen 500 mg dosed no closer than every 6 hours. Perhaps your physician will also consider a steroid burst which is a high dose fast on, immediate decline, and quick off.

    Hugs to both you and your daughter

  • charlotte1988
    charlotte1988

    Posted

    Thank all of you.

    I been yesterday to see a spinal therapist and have been booked in for an MRI scan so hopefully cn get to the bottom of this. I do take nerve painkillers at night nd naproxen through the day.

    Also cn I ask to have the steroid injections?

    And what bout epidural injection people speak about?

    Thank you again

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