Sciatica started 18 months post Total Hip Replacement
Posted , 5 users are following.
Can anyone suggest effective Sciatic pain medication please? Pain in buttocks and down right leg caused by a lower back problem post surgery. The Chiropractor told me I also have a problematic Piriformis muscle.
Have tried Pregabalin which caused nasty side effects including gross swelling of legs. Tramadol had not effect on my pain at all.
Would be grateful to know of anything else to help ease pain.
0 likes, 17 replies
jackie56101 rhovin127
Posted
Hello Rhovin,
I have sciatic nerve damage from hip revision. I take Flexeril it's muscle relaxer and also take Ibuprofen doctor give me 800mg also sock in Epson salt bath out try anything topical for nerves hope that helps
Jackie
CHICO_MARX jackie56101
Posted
Yes...Flexeril as a muscle relaxer and not a nerve med can be very useful short term...especially to get to sleep.
CHICO_MARX rhovin127
Posted
I got bad case of sciatica 5 weeks post knee replacement and 10 weeks post hip replacement. The cause? Our bodies ALWAYS subconsciously shift our weight to avoid pain. Always. The result is sciatica from misaligned hips and/or locked SI pelvic joints. Uneven leg lengths are also a sure sign of a pelvic tilt from misaligned hips It is also disgustingly common.
In both cases, a few weeks with an excellent chiropractor and ibuprofen 10 days max always worked for me.This doesn't get fixed in one session. A true evaluation that it worked for you usually takes a month...there is no silver bullet.
I NEVER recommend the horrible nerve meds and steroids. That's like hitting a fly with a sledge hammer. Side effects, withdrawal symptoms, weight gain and more are just not worth it. Find a great chiro who will align your back so it maintains the alignment over the course of a few weeks. I put a lot of information here...
Sciatica
The only time this method didn't work for me was when a bone spur was "crushing" the sciatic nerve root at L4. That fix was done by a neurosurgeon who should be the only pro to touch your spine. I recommend the least invasive, no RX med solution before you "climb the ladder of care". Gotta find the actual cause and fix it.
jackie56101 CHICO_MARX
Posted
Chico,
I totally agree with you about the nerve meds to many side effects and weight gain . I have seen neurosurgeon and he wants me to try spinal stimulator I just haven't heard to many good results with that patients try the trial but when they have the spinal stimulator implanted thats when they have problems. I have L5 S1 bulging disc and sciatic nerve damage from my hip revision this is permanent because this was not caught in time . I will look into going back to chiropractor
Thanks
Jackie
melissa91009 jackie56101
Posted
may I ask? how on earth would a chiro fix a bulging disc? or fix the nerve damage? i'd NEVER recommend a chiro.
jackie56101 melissa91009
Posted
Melissa,
chiropractor can do a lot of good if you find the right one sometimes if your pelvis is out of alignment that will give you some relief. my options as of now are spinal stimulator and if that doesn't work back surgery which I have heard more negative than positive on both of these procedures. surgery is scary and unfortunately I have sciatic nerve damage from revision surgery.
jackie56101 melissa91009
Posted
Melissa,
I never said chiropractor's could fix nerve pain or bulging disc and you do need to be careful. If I can get some temporary relief I will take that nerve pain is in my opinion the worst pain ever and no medication for me has helped everybody different, I have been through many months of physical therapy
Jackie
CHICO_MARX jackie56101
Posted
Hmmmmm... Permanent nerve damage from the hip revision is a completely different scenario than a healthy nerve being impinged by a disk, SI joint or other hip misalignment. I have no clue how to address this except to recommend a neurosurgeon who can hopefully fix the disk problem and hopefully relieve some of your pain. I would find one with experience in damaged nerves, such as your case, and who can treat you in a holistic manner.
rhovin127 CHICO_MARX
Posted
One of my legs is now shorter than the other. Had awful Steroids in buttocks and tailbone ouch I am very slim. Did no good whatsoever Ibruprofen is something I have no tried so may give it a test thanks.
rhovin127
Posted
Will also ask GP for referral to a Neurosurgeon
CHICO_MARX rhovin127
Posted
A leg-length difference is sooooo common with hip and knee replacements but is rarely caused by a mistake in the surgery. Virtually all occurrences are due to the fact that we subconsciously change the way we walk to avoid pain. This will tilt the pelvis and cause the length discrepancy.
Before you go out and buy expensive shoe orthotics, go to a chiropractor and get your hips aligned. May take a number of sessions over a few weeks to get and keep the proper alignment but that path solves the root cause of the problem. This has worked for me many, many times over decades. Think about it.
rhovin127 CHICO_MARX
Posted
Hi yes I have seen a chiropractor a few times and at first the sessions did help but now the pain, as already mentioned, just moved around the lower back area. The Chiropractor said no wonder you limp, you do have one leg shorter than the other; not a surgical mishap, just the way it all ended up
CHICO_MARX rhovin127
Posted
A chiropractor or PT can realign the pelvis so the leg length reverts back to even. May take a few weeks to a month to realign and have it stay put. That alone will relieve a lot of ancillary pain.
If you believe it's something more, then you'll need an MRI and a visit to a neurosurgeon. Best way to approach it. The neuro may recommend PT, pain shots and/or a CT/Myelogram as required by insurance before they'll do any surgery. There has to be a reason for your pain. Find it...fix it.
"Never give up. Never surrender." - Tim Allen, Galaxy Quest
joseph34828 rhovin127
Posted
See a spine doctor.
melissa91009 rhovin127
Posted
only when tests confirm the diagnosis. then options should be discussed