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PMR flareup in my buttock or sciatica?

Posted , 11 users are following.

rapha
rapha

Yesterday I started with a pain in my buttock and was convinced it was sciatica.  I have had it now and then over the years and it has always gone with diclofenac after a couple of days.  I did not have a good night with it last night and as today has worn on it is excruciatingly painful. I have only been taking paracetamol for it.  Even when I pull my my jeans it is AGONY!!!!!  As though raising my arms is sticking a knife in my right buttock.  QUESTION!  Does PMR make sciatica much much worse OR could this be a flare up although it is much worse than the pain I had in my buttock pre diagnosis?  

1 like, 67 replies

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  • MrsO-UK_Surrey
    MrsO-UK_Surrey rapha

    Posted

    rapha, I have been having bouts of sciatica for many years due to a slipped vertebrae.  When they arose during my PMR/GCA/steroid days, it could sometimes be very confusing knowing which pain was which.  I feel that most of us who are generally prone to sciatica are more likely to experience attacks alongside PMR.  However, my sciatic pain always starts in the centre of the buttock and usually spreads down the outside of my leg and into my foot.  Although I haven't tried it, I believe a good physio could locate the right spot in the buttock and give gentle massage to relieve the pain.  I do know someone who is at present being treated by a Bowen therapist and has experienced relief from long-term sciatica.  
    • rapha
      rapha MrsO-UK_Surrey

      Posted

      Will look into this Mrs O.  My friend is an osteopath and his daughter a physio so will ring them tomorrow see if they can help me.  I lay on the floor tonight to do some exercises from the internet and it nearly killed me such agony I couldnot get up off the floor awful!  My hubby had to rescue me.
    • bronwyn97278
      bronwyn97278 rapha

      Posted

      Hi Rapha; yes, as Mrs O says, Sciatica, is a result of a pinched nerve, radiating from a slipped disc in the lower part of your spine (sacral area)....the pain starts in your buttock and then goes down the affected leg....this is very painful....and if the physio does agree that you have sciatica, hopefully she will show you exercises to strengthen the musles that support the disc....good luck.....Bron
    • MrsO-UK_Surrey
      MrsO-UK_Surrey rapha

      Posted

      Oh these hubbies do come in useful don't they.  I remember on one occasion bending very quickly down through my knees to reach something, totally forgetting for that moment that I could not get down as my knees wouldn't bend!   I hit the floor and couldn't get up again until hubby came to the rescue.  I was in my mid-60's at the time but felt as if I was in my 90's.
    • constance.de
      constance.de MrsO-UK_Surrey

      Posted

      Ditto, Mrs O!  What would we do without our hubbies?  I really feel for those who have to suffer this b....  of an illness alone.
    • erika59785
      erika59785 MrsO-UK_Surrey

      Posted

      I think my sciatica pain started when I was diagnosed with PMR.  I still have mild symptoms at times, but it has been better due to certain prescribed movements by the Physical Therapist.  I am still in need to take sessions due to piriformis and myofascial pain syndromes.
    • MrsO-UK_Surrey
      MrsO-UK_Surrey erika59785

      Posted

      Erika, let's hope that if your first bout of sciatic pain coincided with the arrival of PMR, it will disappear along with the PMR never to return.

       

  • rapha
    rapha

    Posted

    What an agonising night!  I cannot stand up today, have to walk bent over double facing the floor....have been crying my eyes out with the pain.  Have now got an emergency appointment with my GP for one hours' time, hope she can help me!  I have found out that an acute cause of sciatica can be coughing and sneezing!  The day before yesterday (when it all started) I got up and sneezed my head off, the sneezes where so strong my hubby heard them at the other end of the house!  I expect that is what did it...I will ask the doctor.  Who could believe that? I found this out from googling sciatica on wikipedia.  
    • EileenH
      EileenH rapha

      Posted

      And here I am with my usual recommendation: try a few sessions of Bowen therapy!

      The pain you describe in your buttock can be due to piriformis syndrome. It, along with myofascial pain syndrome, can cause sciatic pain because the muscles go into spasm and tighten around the sciatic nerve, irritating it and causing pain which can refer down the leg as well. Other nerves can be involved giving pain in orther areas. 

      In my case it caused acute sacroiliacitis - and I ended up in hospital for treatment! I got up to go to the loo about 4am, got back into bed and realised I couldn't move to turn over to sleep. Any movement was excruciating. The intended treatment caused another problem - so I was handed over to the pain specialist for the slow and steady way. My entire back muscles were in spasm and she worked on them with cortisone (and other) shots and manual mobilisation techniques. It took a while but it has worked and now I'm back to having Bowen therapy having found someone here. 

      Your back is a very forgiving structure and accommodates all sorts of abuse by making small adjustments - until one thing too many has to be accommodated or you push the structure over by tripping, sneezing hard or even just catching your head as you get in or out of the car! Just like a house of cards. And the "wrong" way we walk with PMR contributes.

      Bowen therapy is a technique that persuades your muscles and their attachments to other structures to go back to where they are meant to be. Quite a lot of people on all the PMR forums have tried it and got relief - maybe not always 100% but a lot lot better. You will know in 3 sessions if it will work, if it hasn't by then it probably won't do so. But one lady on this forum had been bed-ridden for 6 weeks, needing a zimmer frame to get to the loo. She staggered into the room with a walking stick in one hand and a friend supporting the other side - she walked out alone after a 1 hour session and forgot the walking stick and had to go back to fetch it!

  • rapha
    rapha

    Posted

    Maybe you would all like to know the outcome.....went to the GP bawling my eyes out in agony, bent over double whilst walking looking at the floor.  By this time I could not stand up straight, walk or lie down can only sit!  The pain in my right buttock excrutiating when I try to stand up straight.  Long story short....NOT sciatica, not a flare up BUT muscle damage to my buttock probably due to a HUGE sneezing fit on Tuesday morning!  Been put on codeine phosphate and senna!!  My friend is an osteopath and he has confirmed this....there is a saying WHEN YOU SNEEZE BEND YOUR KNEES to relax to the body because it can be like a whiplash to the body when you badly cough and sneeze.  My friend is going to see me (he also does Bowen Eileen!) to check me out if the tablets don't help.  I am also sitting on frozen peas BUT due to the weight gain with pred I can not get a bag big enough to cover my whole bottom LOL!!! 
    • EileenH
      EileenH rapha

      Posted

      I'd go for both pills and practice if you have a friendly therapist - what a lucky person!!!!!!!!

      How about a giant bag of chips?

    • constance.de
      constance.de rapha

      Posted

      The things that can happen to one's body!!  Never realised how 'dangerous' sneezing and coughing was.  Live and learn.

      I like the "when you sneeze bend your knees".

      Hope everything goes well for you in the future.

    • MrsO-UK_Surrey
      MrsO-UK_Surrey constance.de

      Posted

      I remember many years ago a commissionaire at the building where I worked turned up wearing a surgical collar - apparently he'd sneezed whilst on the loo!redface
    • bronwyn97278
      bronwyn97278 rapha

      Posted

      ME TOO;  have/did not know that either....yes, we do live and learn...I wonder how many GPs actually know that one????  Arn't you one of the lucky ones (well not really)...mean't in having a GP who knew that .... Now we all hope you can recover as quickly as you did the damage...(it's even so good that you got an answer without having to go through "all the testing/xrays etc"....keep us informed of your progress....Bron
    • MrsO-UK_Surrey
      MrsO-UK_Surrey rapha

      Posted

      Rapha, nice to see you haven't lost your sense of humour in spite of the pain.  I do hope the pills relieve the pain quickly - meanwhile, no more sneezing....except with bent knees!wink
    • rapha
      rapha MrsO-UK_Surrey

      Posted

      Imagine that, amazing.  My osteopath friend told me this morning a man rang him from his car.....he had sneezed and couldnot move, couldnot drive or get out the car, he needed rescused.  He did something to his disc with the sneeze!
    • constance.de
      constance.de EileenH

      Posted

      The mind boggles!!  I wonder what other things our PMR friends will be sitting on in the future!!!
    • rapha
      rapha EileenH

      Posted

      Sending hubby for frozen chips!  BIG BAG!
    • constance.de
      constance.de rapha

      Posted

      I think you'll find a bean-bag cushion put into the deep freeze for a while will be a bit more comfortable.😄😄
    • EileenH
      EileenH constance.de

      Posted

      Need a big deep freeze!

      It needs to be covered with a towel anyway to prevent skin burn...

       

    • constance.de
      constance.de EileenH

      Posted

      Doesn't anyone make small bean bags?  Perhaps we can start producing them ourselves.  We might make a fortune.  Special bags for PMR sufferers!!!!
    • faye______00403
      faye______00403 rapha

      Posted

      I live in Florida and have loads of allergeries that happen to me

      every spring when EVERYTHING blooms.....Thanks for the

      heads up about bending knees when you sneeze as I can

      get off l0 to 12 sneezes are one time.  I think you might just

      be lucky.....probably can cure the muscle problem quicker and

      easier than sciatica.  The sicatic nerve is the biggest nerve in

      the body and when it gets  pinched it takes a long time to heal.

      I'm at 5 months and counting......still have some burning and

      pain.  Since I have PMR and sciatica and herniated disc, I'm

      never quite sure which ailment is causing all my problems.

       

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